To Rob a Thief

Emilio, a Colombian con man, arrives in LA with two weeks to complete his plan to rob a former colleague, Claudio Silvestrini, who's made a fortune using infomercials to peddle snake oil to Latin immigrants. Emilio's friend Alejandro, who sells pirated DVDs, has assembled a team of amateurs, who, as Alejandro says, will go unnoticed because they're immigrants. The team must gain entry to Silvestrini's well-guarded mansion, steal two keys to access a vault, and then get the money off the property. A father and his tomboy daughter, a nervous Cuban actor, a techie, and a muscle man make up the team, plus Alejandro has been courting Silvestrini's nanny. Will they be enough?

Directed by Joe Menendez, To Rob a Thief leans on a strong ensemble — Fernando Colunga, Miguel Varoni, Saúl Lisazo — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 2007.