The Thief Collector (2022) User Reviews

Stranger than fiction

[rum2550 · 8/10 · 8 April 2023]

Extremely fascinating and gripping documentary about an eccentric couple that departed this world leaving so many unanswered questions. It revolves around an art theft happened in 1985. The stolen painting (estimated to worth 160 million dollars presently) is found by a small town art dealer who has been asked to assess the collectibles left by a diseased elderly couple.

This is definitely one of the best crime related documentaries I have ever watched. This could easily make a blockbuster movie like "Catch me if you can". This story is thought provoking and surprises you with the double lives some people seem to enjoy.

Full of intrigue

[davidallenxyz · 8/10 · 12 June 2023]

Ignore the average rating - this is a good documentary.

The story of a married couple who worked in education and loved exotic overseas adventures, yet who also had a stolen $100m dollar painting on the wall of their home is interesting enough on its own. But as the documentary delves deeper, aided by the many photographs and writings the couple left behind, even more questions are raised about what they got up to while they were alive.

Yes, it starts quite steadily, and the re-enactments seem a bit hammy at first, but persevere and you will be rewarded with a well crafted documentary about an astonishing story.

a stolen painting.. and the people who took it.

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 24 December 2023]

It's a truly interesting story of a family in new mexico. Jerry and rita alter have very modest jobs, but seem to take fancy, frequent vacations. To far-away exotic places. And have wild adventures. But how can they afford it? It turns out they are art thieves who stole a famous painting back in 1985. When they have both passed away, the painting is found in their house, which we discover right at the start of this film. But what else have they done? Are they also selling artifacts found on their adventures? Jerry actually wrote a book of short stories, which all sound much like confesions to crimes. And maybe even a much bigger crime! It's a very compelling story, but there are a couple things I think would have helped to complete the picture. First, the first time we watch the film, it's confusing when they switch back and forth from reading from jerry's book, then back to reality. After watching the film once, it all makes more sense. Second, the mystery raised right at the end of this film is never really resolved. The police investigator seems to have retired. We watch a guy use radar on the alter's back yard, which is now owned by someone else. Was there another crime committed? Was no-one willing to pay to dig up the septic tank? Was money the reason we never resolve what might have been a huge, bigger crime? It's a very interesting, true story, but sometimes confusing. And why do we never see or hear from the alter's two children mentioned early in the film. They don't seem to play any part here, except for the childhood photos shown. Directed by allison otto.

The Thief Collector

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 16 May 2023]

If you recall the last proper edition of the BBC sitcom "Only Fools and Horses", you''ll remember that "Del" and "Rodney" discover an old watch that turns out to be worth millions at auction. Well this is a real take on that scenario, as house clearance folks are brought in to clear the ranch of a deceased, ostensibly middle-class, American couple. On the wall in the bedroom they discover a painting. These guys are pretty knowledgable, and suspecting it might be worth something contact the experts who identify it as a long-missing painting by Willem de Kooning that was stolen from an Arizona museum. On further exploration of their home, the inspectors soon discover that this couple had quite a collection of things that had "gone missing" and we are soon presented with some rather fascinating facts around just how they went around the world "collecting" as they went. Their photographs offered an ideal portrait of a typically unassuming American couple, yet they seem to have been astonishingly adept at relieving owners of just about everything from artwork to rugs. With contributions from their friends and neighbours, the FBI and the incredulous (and engaging) clearance men this is actually quite an entertaining look at the sheer audacity of their behaviour and of their successful "in plain sight" attitudes that served both well. Can't say I cared too much for the painting - but now worth a nine figure sum, I'm sure the museum were glad to get it back - even if it took 30-odd years.

Truth is more boring than fiction

[ohrlevjewelry · 1/10 · 3 October 2023]

I am a relative of the Alters. It is a shame people are continuing to capitalize on what happened and ruin their reputation, even though the FBI does not believe they did it. Remember, the security guard at the museum said it was 2 men in their 20's, one of them dressed like an old women. I read early on that it was thought to possibly be gang initiation... related and the picture was probably dumped over the border in Mexico.

My aunt and uncle used to pick up all sorts of stuff at flea markets and home sales.

Here, in this film, they have Rita stealing handbags!!??

Their nephew has been interviewed since the pucture was discovered and tried to relate to people that this is not the character of the Alters, nor their lifestyle.

Yes, I can see where the idea of it could be exciting to the masses, but the truth is non existent here and their good reputation is being ruined by those seeking to capitalize on this unfortunate incident.

53rd Anniversary Photo

[longbottomdavid · 5/10 · 14 November 2023]

The Dates don't add up! In one picture of them, Happy 53rd Anniversary June 25 1957.

That would make them born in the late 1800's.

Jerry Alter died at the age of 81 and the painting was stolen the day after Thanksgiving 1985, and in 85 he would of been way over 85yrs old if you go by the Anniversary photo, for which he wasn't in his 80's in 85, so that make the Anniversary Photo wrong.

Also the fact that there is a travel photo of Jerry in Napal 1992, so even that travel photo reassures that Jerry was not in his 90's going by the the date of the Happy 53rd Anniversary photo and the assume age they would of been in June 25 1957 the 35yrs from then to 1992, would of made them be married for 88yrs and yet he died at 81yrs old.

It's not a bad documentary film, but if I notice that mistake then I wonder how many more mistakes there is or how much the film may be more scripted then documentation.

Exit Through the Theft Hop

[witster18 · 8/10 · 24 May 2024]

When one is staring at the screen shooting spit-balls in the form of reading synopses on Amazon Prime, gauging movie poster designs(the sad criteria nowadays), one doesn't expect a 6.2 rating to be this good. It's early-on, with my vote being just the 68th vote for this film, but my guess is that this little documentary is headed for much greener pastures. My Score 77/100.

This is as good as "Made You Look", and "Exit Through the Gift Shop", which makes it one of the better Art documentaries of the last 20yrs.

Director Allison Otto grabbed-me with the creative opening credit design. I immediately knew whomever made it wasn't a sell-out, but someone who cared about the production. It seemed to tell me something about the director before the film even started.

Now, personally, I like it when feature films don't feel like they have to spell-out every little detail for the viewer. A perfect example is Polanski's "Frantic". It allows the audience to fill in the blanks of the story on their own. It doesn't spoon-feed them like infantile minds. Some people spend more time trying to discredit films than to enjoy everything that is great about them.

Similarly, documentaries that allow the audience to do the same, fill in at least some of the blanks themselves, that exhibit a recognizable degree of impartiality, that don't really take a side in a fight, that keep you searching for answers after their conclusion.. ..that's what keeps me coming back, or in this case, digging for more.

At the core of "The Thief Collector" is the stolen masterpiece, but at the heart of the story lies the mysterious couple who stole it.

One good or bad decision can spin someone's life in another direction(I picture Michael Caine drawing dots in "Mr. Destiny"). I rather enjoyed the story coming full-circle to where it started(the museum), as well as how it only added even more mystery and intrigue to an already amazing story.

I wish the film dug just a little deeper with the people who knew the couple, but the reality is, or at least it seems, that most of them didn't really know the couple at all. It was obvious to this viewer that the theft affected the thieves' lives far more than anyone else's. They sat there, hidden in plain sight, living abstract lives, much like the painting itself. Their guilt may lie in their beguiling obsession for the painting itself, as well as on the faces of everyone who knew them, but really didn't.