This Is a Robbery

Last updated

This Is a Robbery
This Is a Robbery.jpeg
Genre
Directed byColin Barnicle
Music by Jason Hill
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
  • Colin Barnicle
  • Nick Barnicle
  • Jane Rosenthal
  • Berry Welsh
  • Linda Pizzuti Henry
Producers
  • Jeff Siegel
  • Rachel Koteen
  • Bobby O'Brien
  • Mary Abramson
CinematographyStephen McCarthy
Editors
  • Kelly Kendrick
  • Chris Kronus
  • Matt Cascella
  • Andrew Jenter
Running time50–57 minutes
Production companyBarnicle Brothers Production TriBeCa Productions
Original release
ReleaseApril 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)

This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist is a 2021 American documentary miniseries about the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. [1] [2] [3] The four-part series was directed by Colin Barnicle, who also produced alongside his brother Nick Barnicle. The series was produced over a seven-year period, beginning in 2014. [4] It was released on Netflix on April 7, 2021, receiving generally positive reviews from critics. [5]

Contents

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"They Looked Like Cops"April 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)
In Boston 1990, two men dressed as police officers enter the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and leave with Rembrandt's The Storm on the Sea of Galilee and A Lady and Gentleman in Black , Vermeer's The Concert , and ten other works of art.
2"Vipers in the Grass"April 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)
As law enforcement scrutinizes the museum's security, a suspect emerges.
3"We've Seen It"April 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)
As alleged sightings of the stolen art are reported, organized crime activity leads to possible suspects and motives for the robbery.
4"$10 Million Reward"April 7, 2021 (2021-04-07)
An informant and sting operation lead federal agents to a small-time mobster with possible connections to the robbery.

Reception

For the series, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 81% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "This is a Robbery may not be the world's most innovative docuseries, but a fascinating subject and an acute attention to detail make for a riveting watch." [6] Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 13 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [7]

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The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts, which houses significant examples of European, Asian, and American art. Its collection includes paintings, sculpture, tapestries, and decorative arts. It was founded by Isabella Stewart Gardner, whose will called for her art collection to be permanently exhibited "for the education and enjoyment of the public forever."

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References

  1. "This Is a Robbery: a Netflix series examines the world's biggest art heist". the Guardian. April 7, 2021. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  2. Wilkinson, Alissa (April 7, 2021). "The new Netflix docuseries about history's biggest art heist is weirdly dull". Vox. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  3. "'This Is a Robbery' on Netflix revisits the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art theft - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  4. "'This Is a Robbery': Netflix revisits Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist | Boston.com". www.boston.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  5. Vanamee, Norman (April 7, 2021). "What Really Happened with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Art Heist". Town & Country. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  6. "This Is a Robbery: The World's Greatest Art Heist: Season 1 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  7. "This Is a Robbery: The World's Greatest Art Heist Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved April 6, 2021.