Customer Reviews

A Thief of Time

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a fan of Tony Hillerman, having read most of his books. Frankly, I'm surprised at the middling ratings most people have given this movie. I thought it was wonderful, and the performances given by the cast were very satisfying. It's always a treat to watch a cast like this. My eyes are likely to brighten when I see the names Graham Greene, Wes Studi, Adam Beach and Tantoo Cardinal participating in a movie venture. I have added Sheila Tonsey and others to this last as well, having greatly enjoyed their roles in this series. Graham Greene has given another unforgettable performance as the oily Slick Nakai. I have to believe that he's now in my top five American actors. Tantoo gave a brief but typically engaging perfomance. Wes and Adam are now locked in my minds eye as Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. It was good seeing Peter Fonda again in is role. Chris Eyre did a fine job directing, and conveying the intent of the novel. Included is an engaging bonus feature with Tony Hillerman.

The review below me made some defamatory comments intending to be caustic, but which are patently untrue. Any resemblance to a soap opera has entirely escaped me. His observation that this movie sneers at Navajo attitudes toward the dead, Navajo spiritual or cultural matters, is impossible. Anyone who is acquainted with Chris Eyre knows the integrity of the director, having directed Smoke Signals and Skins, and has shown is dedication toward negating stereotypes and prejudice. Seems that the reviewer below was just looking for an opportunity to flog around the term "injun". People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, and the below reviewer might be concerned that his education has failed him. Moreover, keep your eyes on Chris Eyre, who promises to be attached to quality movies in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and hope to see more. I will continue to devour anything written by Tony Hillerman, and seek out anything by these cast members.

My thanks are to Robert Redford as a co-producer of this series. I have admired the integrity of this man for quite some time, watching him place his effort and resources in the right place, time and time again. I tip my hat once again to PBS Pictures for distributing this series. PBS has been involved in offering us quality which is hard to find.

I cannot agree with the negative reviewers. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, like I did the two previous ones in this series. I love mystery novels/films, and this one was not difficult to comprehend at all. An added bonus is the setting of the story in the for me - a European living in the US - completely new world of Native American history and culture. I don't know the novels of Mr. Hillerman, so I don't have the great expectations of someone who has read them. I think anybody who loves a good mystery and is interested in getting an introduction into Native American lore and culture of the Southwest should enjoy the movies in this series. I certainly hope there will be more of them.

I really wanted to like "A Thief of Time", having read the book on several occasions. Unfortunately, the film makers decided to cram a complex mystery into a mere 90 minutes. While this worked with "Coyote Waits", the previous film in the series (although, they are being made out of order), it was not as successful here. While the overall plot of Hillerman's book remains essentially intact, it was so heavily condensed, and at times moved so quickly, that the viewer was required to pay extremely close attention at the risk of missing something critical to understanding the story.

Like the previous reviewer, I like Adam Beach and Wes Studi in the respective roles of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. Unfortunately, in an effort to popularize the characters for the viewing audience, the film makers have added some elements that just ring false: Joe Leaphorn as a victim of E.D.? Chee and Leaphorn as "buddies", as the film's ending implies? In Hillerman's books (yes, yes, I know I'm being a purist) there is some level of mutual respect between the two Navajo police officers, but it's the tension between the younger, traditionalist Chee, and the older, more modernist Leaphorn, that helps to propel the stories.

Overall, I rate "A Thief of Time" between the awful "Skinwalkers" and the rather better, more coherent, "Coyote Waits".

Joe Leaphorn (Wes Studi) is on leave when the dispatcher calls him back. What's the big case? He's to serve a warrant on an archeologist who's taken pots from Navajo land. The problem is, he can't find her and none of her co-workers appear to be very helpful.

Meanwhile, Jim Chee (Adam Beach) has problems of his own coming from all sides. He got distracted from security duty and a rather large piece of tribal equipment was stolen. Just as he sees the thieves, he wrecks his girlfriend's BMW convertible.

As the bodies begin to pile up, Leaphorn and Chee realize that they have some issues in common with their cases and reluctantly team up. Will they find the archeologist in time to save her life? And will the woman's work uncover the mystery of the lost Anasazi?

"Thief of Time" was originally produced for PBS. It's based on the Tony Hillerman novel by the same name and produced by Chris Eyre, who's done "Smoke Signals" and other great Native American films. If you just watch the film for the scenery, it's worth it. Add the mystery to it, and you've got a great show.

Rebecca Kyle, August 2008

The movie adaption is not up to the high standards set by Hillerman's novel [Novel gets a 5-star]. It had the elements to make it a good movie - great story, great actors and the most beautiful setting in the world, the Southwest.

But they botched it up- bad direction and screenplay. The deviations from the original story (not major) and the additions were not needed. The scenes are incoherent and some left unexplained. Some of the dialogs are plain stupid, for instance - Emma shows up at Janet's apartment at 5 am looking concerned. And Janet says "This is not a good time". In the end it appears as if Leaphorn did not solve the case at all (different from novel).

The pluses - Authentic locations (except at Chaco). Good acting by Studi and Beach. The movie does a decent job of showing the Navajo life on reservation, being somewhat true to the novel. And if you are bored of watching NYPD, CSI-Miami etc. etc., the Navajo Tribal Police Dept comes as a refreshing change.

I just finished the book a Thief of Time and then watched the movie. I really had to let go of the book in order to sit back and enjoy the movie(and also for my partner too, since I kept saying "but that is not right"). The characters were great depsite some changes. One for instance that kept bugging me on and off throughout the movie was Jim Chee. This is not the Jim Chee in the books...this Jim is more naive, innocent, lacks some of self responsiblity that he has in the books and much more talkative. Jim 'talks' a lot in the books..but that is because we are in his head but he is less talkative to people. He waits. He is patient. He listens. He is observant. These are not traits found in the Jim Chee in the movie.

Plus, Joe and Chee have a respectful, guarded, but not really like each other relationship at this point in the series. In the movie, Chee is thinks the world of Joe and likes him quite a bit.

I know it doesn't sound like, I enjoyed the movie..but I did. I am just sharing that it might be best to let go of what you have read in the books...to enjoy the film.

The story was kept intact and in iconological order. However is suggest you read the book first or at the least are familiar with the characters first. There is only so much film time and this really needed to be a mini-series. Each character's background and personality was alluded to. The visuals are par-exultant. You feel that you are in Four-corners territory.

The picked a perfect cast of actors. Most have played in other Hillerman book films, so you recognize the characters. I know you can look up the list but I still am amazed at how I immediately associate the characters with the characters. To name a few Wes Studi (Cherokee) as Joe Leaphorn, Sheila Tousey (Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee Indian) as Emma Leaphorn, and Graham Greene (He is an Oneida Indian)as Slick Nakai.

This presentation follows the Hillerman formula for two intertwined mysteries that start for different purposes and sometimes end differently and not combined. On occasion Hillerman stories really do not end. Jim Chee must track down a missing back-hoe that he let get pilfered from a secure compound. Joe Leaphorn must track down a suspected pot thief or a thief of time. One of their paths crossings is through a preacher appropriately named Slick. When the back-hoe user turns up dispatched and the pot thief is missing, they may find that the two stories are one.

We are quite lucky that the story did not get twisted by Robert Redford as he has his own agenda and quit often bends stories for his own purpose. In the movie "Skinwalkers" the Skinwalkers have been for all practical purposes removed. Robert Redford did the same thing is several other productions ruining the whole purpose of the story. Yet hear he seemed to take a more hands off approach so it played well.

The DVD has a good voice over commentary and the standard other extras.

Personally, I found this film ... out of the current films based on Tony Hillerman's books the best of the films! However, I suggest anyone thinking about buying ... and not having seen any of the 3 films released to date ... (see these films first) ... otherwise you maybe dissapointed.
I have seen all 3 films ... and, have read the other reviews here posted which I might add, all have valid pro's & con's about made about this film that are helpful. They do not though mention how this film breaks out -of the box- compared to the others, in that it uses a HISTORICAL angle in it's script touching on the 'Anasazi culture' and 'Chaco Canyon' which was refreshing to me ... in that I find history interesting especially in relation to Native American Indian history.
(If you feel the same way, and think you might like one of the Hillerman based movies mentioned in reviews here - this maybe the one out of the 3 movie/DVDs for you). Then again you may not want any of -or- want all of them?

I have read each and every Tony Hillerman mystery and thoroughly enjoyed each one. Likewise, I eagerly awaited this DVD, A Thief of Time. Unfortunately, I cannot say anything very good about it. Unlike the many (read British) PBS series that have dramatized great detective novels into entertaining movies, this installment in the initial "American Mystery" series is a hopeless dud.

Tony Hillerman writes a rich, vivid novel in the nuance of the Navajo culture. His details and characters are too much for a 93 minute DVD to digest. Scenes flit around in small one and three minute sequences, disjointed and disorganized. Hillerman's plot device of having parallel plot lines join at the end create too many complexities for a rushed presentation.

I deeply regret the disservice to a wonderful author and mystery novel, and frankly wish I could say something more positive. Well....let's try...the Four Corners scenery is beautiful.

I really liked this version of Hillerman's book. Once upon a time I lived in this area and the depiction of its characters is plausible.