Den of Thieves — The Rewatchables Tracker

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Overall episode#105Source sheet order

Movie year20182010s

Tomatometer42%Critics’ score

Metacritic49View score

Roger Ebert—No review recorded

DirectorChristian GudegastAction / Crime

FROM THE CONVERSATION

What they said about the movie

The episode argues that Den of Thieves is an unusually rewatchable heist/crime movie because it is dense, heavily detailed, and built around the collision between Big Nick and Merriman as well as the Donnie inside-man plot. The hosts praise its technical robbery details, crew dynamics, and big performances while joking about its shameless Heat influences and occasional absurdity.

Based only on this episode’s transcriptTimes approximateSpeakers were clearly identifiedExplore the connections

In this conversation

Bill Simmons

Shea Serrano

Chris Ryan

WHY IT WORKS

What made it rewatchable

01It combines a crime movie and a heist movie, giving both character/world detail and mechanical robbery details. Opening minutes
02The Donnie plot rewards repeat viewing because later reveals recontextualize earlier scenes. About 8 min
03Big Nick’s larger-than-life performance and repeated confrontations with Merriman create a memorable central rivalry. Opening minutes
04The robbery procedures and gun-play details are specific enough that the movie feels like a bank-robbery manual for fans of the genre. About 8 min
05The movie is packed with repeatable set pieces and running jokes, especially the Benihana sequence and the crew banter. About 24 min

WHAT DID NOT WORK

Their main criticisms

moderateThe movie sometimes holds too long on the crew chess-match and personal-life material, especially around Big Nick's family drama. About 8 min
minorSome supporting roles could have been funnier or more developed, especially Gus according to Bill's alternate casting idea. About 8 min
moderateThe final traffic-heavy escape and some physical logistics feel implausible on repeat viewings. About 56 min
minorBig Nick's home-life material is a little generic and feels less textured than the criminal side of the movie. About 32 min · medium confidence

SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO

Standout moments

Favorite

Opening armored-truck robbery

The early truck heist and donut-shop chaos establish the movie's tone and the cops-vs.-robbers stakes.

Opening minutes

Favorite

Hofbrau / Nick and Donnie introduction

The underworld bar and ensuing interrogation kick the movie into a higher gear.

About 24 min

Favorite

Benihana confrontation

Big Nick's crew deliberately shows up at Benihana in an absurd, tense attempt to pressure Donnie.

About 24 min

positive

Suit-store tailing sequence

The public men's-clothing meeting is remembered as a strange, funny surveillance set piece.

About 32 min

positive

Locked-and-loaded prep scene

The crew gearing up with vests, rifles, and instruction is admired as a top-tier action-movie prep sequence.

About 40 min

mixed

Pico savings-and-loan fake hostage setup

The smaller bank stop is viewed as functional but mainly transitional.

About 40 min

Favorite

Federal Reserve robbery

The elaborate main heist is admired for its detail and complexity, especially the money-shredding timing.

About 40 min

Favorite

Highway shootout

The chaotic final chase is discussed as the action climax, though its physics are questioned.

About 40 min

WHERE THEY DISAGREED

The biggest debates

They agreed Opening minutes

Is Den of Thieves mostly a crime movie or a heist movie?

Bill Simmons
It is both, and that dual identity is why it works.

Chris Ryan
Agrees that the movie has both the culture-of-crime and mechanics-of-heist aspects.

They partly agreed About 24 min

Is the Benihana sequence the best scene?

Shea Serrano
Yes, it is his favorite scene and the movie's most rewatchable beat.

Bill Simmons
He also loves it but thinks the hotel-room interrogation may be even more rewatchable on repeats.

They partly agreed About 8 min

Could Gus have been played by a bigger comic actor?

Bill Simmons
Yes, a funnier or more famous comic actor might have helped the movie.

Shea Serrano
No, the supporting cast works because it stays in the movie's blunt, alpha-male lane.

No final agreement About 1:12

Who wins the movie: Butler or Schreiber?

Bill Simmons
Butler is the one people remember and the movie feels like his showcase.

Chris Ryan
Schreiber wins because his performance gives the movie its realism and gravity.

They partly agreed About 56 min

Does the getaway-in-traffic logic hold up?

Chris Ryan
It is a real nitpick and the end physics are shaky.

Bill Simmons
The collapse makes sense if Donnie was the real planner and then disappeared.

12 People discussedActors, directors, writers, and producers

favorableChristian GudegastBill Simmons: The hosts credit him as writer-director and note that the script has been around for a long time. Opening minutes very favorableGerard ButlerBill Simmons: Praised as an all-in, highly committed Big Nick who looks like he is really living the role. Opening minutes very favorablePablo SchreiberShea Serrano: Described as the ideal Merriman because of his size, presence, and intimidating chin-forward physicality. About 16 min

favorableO'Shea Jackson Jr.Bill Simmons: Praised for selling Donnie's duplicity and for being surprisingly gifted in the role. About 24 min

favorable50 CentBill Simmons: Viewed as effective in a quiet, grounded supporting role as one of Big Nick's crew. About 24 min

favorableMaurice CompteShea Serrano: Shea claims Borracho as his favorite crew member and praises the performance. About 8 min

favorableEvan JonesBill Simmons: Named as Bosco and singled out as a strong 'that guy' presence in the crew. About 1:04

favorableMomo CrayBill Simmons: He is praised for a subtle, dirty-looking reaction at Benihana that sells the crew dynamic. About 8 min

neutralJay DobynsBill Simmons: Cited as the real-life police advisor who inspired Big Nick. About 1:12

mixedDave ChappelleShea Serrano: Shea jokingly suggests Chappelle for a supporting role, but the others reject the idea. About 16 min

neutralRay LewisBill Simmons: Mentioned as a hypothetical casting choice for 50 Cent's role. About 24 min · medium confidence

neutralEd ReedBill Simmons: Mentioned as another hypothetical casting option for the quiet crew member role. About 24 min · medium confidence

8 Conversation takesSpeakers shown only where the transcript identifies them

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Heat comparison

Argues Den of Thieves knowingly borrows from Heat in a way that makes it more enjoyable rather than less.

Opening minutes

Shea SerranoLoved it

Heat

Admits he came late to Heat and now fully understands why people revere it.

Opening minutes

Chris RyanLoved it

Donnie reveal and repeat-viewing payoff

Says the movie becomes richer once you realize Donnie's perspective is manipulating the story.

About 8 min

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Big Nick

Says Butler is the perfect actor for a role that needs a huge, beaten-up, reckless presence.

About 16 min

Shea SerranoLoved it

Benihana sequence

Calls the Benihana scene his favorite and enjoys its absurdity and tension.

About 24 min

Bill SimmonsLoved it

hotel-room interrogation of Donnie

Highlights the hotel-room interrogation as the most rewarding scene on repeat viewings because Donnie is playing the cops.

About 40 min

Chris RyanLoved it

Pablo Schreiber / Merriman

Insists Schreiber is the movie's winner because he makes the movie feel real and gives it its central gravity.

About 1:12

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Gerard Butler / Big Nick

Argues Butler is the movie's emotional and cultural centerpiece, even if Schreiber is strong.

About 1:12

5 ThemesThe larger ideas in the discussion

Heat influence and homage

The hosts treat Den of Thieves as an obvious but affectionate Heat descendant, arguing that it knowingly borrows rather than accidentally copies.

Opening minutes

Crew identity and alpha-male rivalry

The movie is built around two crews and especially the showdown between Big Nick and Merriman.

About 8 min

Place-specific realism

The hosts like how the movie is tied to Los Angeles neighborhoods, military history, and local institutions even if some of it was shot elsewhere.

About 8 min

Repeat-viewing rewards

Many jokes and plot turns only fully land once the ending is known, so the film gets richer on rewatches.

About 8 min

Performance as character design

They praise Butler, Schreiber, and 50 Cent for embodying their roles physically and tonally, not just delivering dialogue.

About 16 min

18 Facts and referencesProduction notes and other movies mentioned

Production note

The hosts say the film was shot in Atlanta even though it is set in Los Angeles.

Opening minutes

Production note

They say the movie opened in January 2018 and earned about $44 million domestic after a $15 million opening weekend.

Opening minutes

Production note

The film was reportedly in development for 10 to 15 years before release.

About 16 min

Production note

Big Nick is loosely based on a real police advisor named Jay Dobyns.

About 1:12

Production note

Gerard Butler gained 20 to 30 pounds and kept eating the donuts during filming.

About 1:12

Production note

Pablo Schreiber used weapons training from 13 Hours.

About 1:12

Production note

The script reportedly had the money being shredded and stolen right before shredding as a key technical detail.

About 8 min

Production note

Bill says he once got a call from Christian Gudegast after writing about the movie.

About 1:12

Heat

Used constantly as the main comparison for style, structure, and the famous showdown scenes.

Opening minutes

The Town

Used as another rewatchable cable crime film that audiences return to repeatedly.

Opening minutes

The Italian Job

Referenced to distinguish a pure heist movie from a crime movie.

Opening minutes

Bad Lieutenant

Mentioned when the FBI agent calls Big Nick 'bad lieutenant.'

Opening minutes

Live and Die in L.A.

Named among the film references and inspirations around the movie's LA texture.

Opening minutes · medium confidence

Rififi

Used to compare a ceiling/drilling theft detail to the classic heist film.

About 32 min

The Dark Knight

Cited later as an apex example of a movie that rips off Heat.

About 1:12

Long Beach Poly

Discussed as the high school where several football players, including named NFL players, came from.

About 1:12

Miami Vice

Mentioned in a quote from the real-life police advisor about what police work is not like.

About 1:12 · medium confidence

300

Used in a debate over Butler's career apex.

About 1:12

12 Running jokes and short linesRecurring bits captured from the conversation

Donut-in-the-hot-zone

Big Nick's donut-eating at a crime scene becomes a recurring joke and shorthand for his disregard for procedure.

Opening minutes

Heat-rip-off acknowledgement

The hosts repeatedly joke that the movie is an affectionate, shameless Heat homage.

Opening minutes

Benihana obsession

The scene and restaurant become a running joke about an underused location for action movies.

About 24 min

Big Nick texting and personal chaos

Nick's crude text messages and messy family life are mined for jokes.

About 56 min

Drafting movie crew members

Shea's book prompt and the hosts' mock fantasy draft of heist roles become a framing bit.

About 16 min

Long Beach Poly bragging

Bill researches the school's famous football alumni and jokes about local athletic lineage.

About 1:12

Pablo Schreiber chin / fighter posture

Chris's discussion of Schreiber's chin-out fighting stance becomes a repeated physical-performance joke.

About 56 min

Bill Simmons

“We are cop killers now.”

About 16 min

Speaker not identified

“You just threw a donut in the hot zone.”

Opening minutes

Speaker not identified

“Come on, give me a hug.”

About 56 min

Speaker not identified

“We're family.”

About 56 min

Speaker not identified

“I'm not going back inside.”

About 1:04 · medium confidence

MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT

Where to watch

UNITED STATES

Checking where Den of Thieves is available…

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT

Movies to watch before and after.

Three movies to watch before Den of Thieves, and three to watch next.

Finding six movies…Three to watch first and three to watch next.

ON THE MIC

3 voices on this episode

Bill SimmonsThe Rewatchables

Chris RyanThe Rewatchables

Shea SerranoThe Rewatchables

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