The Take (2008)

85% of critics liked it
(13 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(723 ratings)

Music video director Brad Furman teams with Josh and Jonas Pate, the creators of the NBC series Surface, for this independent drama tracing an armored truck driver's efforts to track down the thief who shot him during a heist, changing his life forever. John Leguizamo stars as the driver who must… More Music video director Brad Furman teams with Josh and Jonas Pate, the creators of the NBC series Surface, for this independent drama tracing an armored truck driver's efforts to track down the thief who shot him during a heist, changing his life forever. John Leguizamo stars as the driver who must endure months of rehabilitation before setting out to track down the gunman, and Tyrese Gibson plays the man responsible for pulling the trigger. Rosie Perez and Bobby Cannavale co-star in a thriller that was shot guerrilla-style in the Latino neighborhoods of Los Angeles. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Brad Furman
Written By: Jonas Pate, Josh Pate, Joshua Pate
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Apr 11, 2007 Wide
On DVD: May 27, 2008
Studio: Hatchet Films

Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick, New York Post
John Leguizamo knocks it out of the park as an armored car driver in The Take, which is quite a bit better than you'd expect from a low-budget thriller that's getting a token theatrical release a month ahead of its DVD debut.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Perez and Leguizamo make an entirely believable couple, and director Brad Furman creates an intense undercurrent of intimacy between the audience and his haunted hero.
Rachel Saltz, New York Times
Mr. Furman, who also directs music videos, has given the movie, shot by Lukas Ettlin, a bleached-out, unglossy look. Occasionally the visuals seem overly stylized, but Mr. Furman knows enough to showcase his stars' unvarnished performances.
John Anderson, Variety
Production values are tops, and Lukas Ettlin's athletic camerawork -- coursing through the streets of Boyle Heights and other Los Angeles locations -- adds a kinetic element to a film that is half thriller, half psychodrama.
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Short on sensational elements but involving, it won't set multiplexes on fire but should make a decent showing thanks to cast and plot.
Peter Brunette, Screen International
Things never quite come together and the central plot focus of the family drama is never plausible enough to make for compelling cinema.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Funny man John Leguizamo gets in touch with his furious and fiery side in The Take, and that transitional extreme mood swing is surprisingly impressive.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Funny man John Leguizamo gets in touch with his furious and fiery side in The Take, and that transitional extreme mood swing is surprisingly impressive.
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
Indie director Brad Furman has unleashed a powerful low budget thriller that makes good use of the talents of John Leguizamo as well as those of supporting performers Tyrese Gibson and Rosie Perez.
Diva Velez, TheDivaReview.com
Abundantly gritty and atmospheric, The Take is marked with many of the errors of a first feature, and succeeds almost entirely through exceptional performances by stars John Leguizamo and Rosie Perez.
Joshua Land, Time Out New York
This winning combination of neighborhood indie and old-school Hollywood B movie is the kind of film that doesn't flinch from the sight of a bullet being removed from human flesh.
Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly
Furman stages the final foot chase with brio, but one wishes that he'd found a way to stay at home with Felix and Marina, who don't need guns to thrill.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...wildly uneven...
Scott Weinberg, Cinematical
If you usually dig John Leguizamo's work, then you'll definitely want to see this one.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Remi L

When I first read the premise for this film, I thought I was looking at some kinda caper flick where a bunch of working class stiffs band together to get one over on their corporate employers. I got one part right: the film is about a violent hijacking, but the film focuses more on… More
When I first read the premise for this film, I thought I was looking at some kinda caper flick where a bunch of working class stiffs band together to get one over on their corporate employers. I got one part right: the film is about a violent hijacking, but the film focuses more on the tragic aftermath. People are murdered in cold blood, and those who walk away with their lives are damaged physically and psychically. I admire John Leguizamo for not just doing comedy, but for taking on more emotionally devastating roles. He and Rosie Perez brought a realness to their characters. It was like sitting in on a family destroyed by a random act of violence. I can't really critique Tyrese's performance, because his character felt so one-dimensional. All he brought to the table was the quintessential villain with no redeeming qualities. You don't really feel anything for him, and I don't know if that was the intent of the film or if Gibson needs to work on his depth. Either way: kudos to Leguizamo. Great performance.