The Robber review

He's quite a multitasker

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Having developed a passion for running while in prison, bank robber Johann Rettenberger (Andreas Lust) raises hope that he’s a reformed man.

But what if he pursues both hobbies? Amazingly, Benjamin Heisenberg’s film is based on a real-life Austrian who won marathons between stick-ups.

Propelled by Lust’s performance, this is a fascinating study of solitude and sociopathic obsession, up to a point. But Heisenberg is in no hurry to catch up with such a distant protagonist, and the approach keeps empathy at bay.

End result? A thriller that deliberately doesn’t thrill.