All-Star Heist Caper Snags Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, and More
The Smack, based on Richard Lange’s 2017 novel, is stacking the deck with Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, and more as the heist thriller hunts financing ahead of release.
Here we go: a heist movie about stealing money is currently out there trying to raise money. That feels appropriately on brand.
What is it?
'The Smack' is a new thriller based on Richard Lange's 2017 novel, and it just resurfaced with a serious cast: Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, and Marisa Tomei. Concourse Media has jumped on to handle worldwide sales and will be shopping it at the European Film Market, which is where a lot of indie projects try to lock down financing and distribution deals.
Story setup
Affleck plays a down-on-his-luck con artist who teams up with a casino waitress for a big score: a hidden stash of stolen U.S. military money. Naturally, the 'simple' plan doesn’t stay simple. Other dangerous crews are after the same cash, and things escalate from slick grift to survival mode pretty fast.
Who is making it?
David M. Rosenthal, who directed 'The Perfect Guy', is set to helm. The plan is to shoot in New Jersey later this year, assuming the EFM push gets the financing over the line.
'With its razor-sharp writing and unforgettable characters, The Smack delivers an edgy take on the con thriller that's designed to break through globally,' said Matthew Shreder of Concourse Media.
The interesting wrinkle
This isn’t the project’s first rodeo. 'The Smack' was announced a few years back with a different lineup, but it stalled without funding. The new package suggests it’s finally moving again, but it’s still in that in-between stage where the sales company is courting buyers to close the gap.
The cast, at a glance
- Casey Affleck: leads as the conman; recently in 'The Instigators' (2024) and 'Slingshot' (2024)
- Sam Rockwell: co-starring; voices a role in 'The Bad Guys 2' (2025) and showed up in four episodes of 'The White Lotus' season 3
- Kathy Bates: co-starring
- Marisa Tomei: co-starring; 2024 included 'Brothers', 'High Tide', and 'Upgraded', with upcoming roles in 'You’re Dating a Narcissist!', 'The Mongoose', and 'F*ck Valentine’s Day'
Bottom line: if the money comes together at EFM, 'The Smack' looks primed to be a sharp, actor-driven heist thriller with plenty of heat in front of the camera and a straightforward, propulsive hook. If you like your cons messy and your casts stacked, keep an eye on this one.