SummarySet in 1954 Detroit, No Sudden Move centers on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong, their search for who hired them – and for what ultimate purpose – weaves them through all echelons of the race-torn, rapidly changing city. [HBO Max]
Directed By:Steven Soderbergh
Written By:Ed Solomon
No Sudden Move
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
User score
Generally Favorable
6.1
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
82% Positive
31 Reviews
31 Reviews
18% Mixed
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jun 18, 2021
91
The complexity of the plotting overwhelms the picture a bit, which gets a little fuzzy in the middle – but it eventually forcefully snaps into focus, mostly by finding its spine in the simple notion that this is a movie about people under pressure.
Jul 5, 2021
88
A damned clever neo-noir with a top-drawer cast, genuine suspense, dark humor and a plot that keeps you guessing for a very long time, this Steven Soderbergh thriller has everything a good heist picture needs to get over.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.1
47% Positive
42 Ratings
42 Ratings
42% Mixed
38 Ratings
38 Ratings
11% Negative
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
Jul 2, 2021
9
Man proposes, God disposes and the Devil decomposes. The typical plot of a crime that goes wrong takes its time in the first minutes and then lucidly takes shape, with surprises ready to baffle the viewer. Another achievement of this crime drama is the cast.
Sep 30, 2021
8
NO SUDDEN MOVE is a finely acted noir throwback with so many twists and turns you will eventually give up trying to figure out who's working for who. Soderbergh's directing never falters, and his talent is on full display here. With a near two hour runtime the film does have a small pacing issue in the middle but overall it's a great crime thriller.
Jul 8, 2021
83
After 29 narrative features, Soderbergh has developed a proficient sense of staging that feels simultaneously relaxed and invigorating. Much of the ineffable fun of watching No Sudden Move comes from being in the hands of someone who knows how to achieve what they want without trying unduly hard to impress.
Jun 19, 2021
80
The plotting gets confusing, but what’s crystal-clear is the filmmaker’s skill at concocting a grippingly pessimistic worldview that permeates his den of thieves. No Sudden Move makes an impact, even when it doesn’t always make sense.
Jul 6, 2021
70
Although Soderbergh complicates his cinematic dish with too many flavors, No Sudden Move still offers plenty of bites to savor.
Oct 14, 2021
60
No Sudden Move may be a fairly minor entry in his filmography, but it’s well-crafted and thrilling in a way that feels oddly reassuring.
Jul 1, 2021
50
It’s a miniseries’ worth of action that’s crammed into the procrustean bounds of a near-two-hour feature, without the compensating dimensions of symbol and implication.
Sep 5, 2025
7
Loved the atmosphere it really pulls you into the time period. Costumes and cast were spoton, and I enjoyed the whole idea behind it. Not really action-heavy, more of a slow detail-focused story, and it works.cast is brilliant every single character adds some tones to this movie. And most importantly nothing unrealistic.
Jun 15, 2026
6
It’s an intriguing premise, but with all the A-listers involved it distracts from the story. You don’t really care about any of them except for maybe Don Cheadle, who is just trying to get ahead. I thought the story was unnecessarily convoluted. Catalytic converters are essential, but they don’t make a great movie Mr. Soderbergh. Please try again.
Dec 14, 2022
6
Star studded cast elevates the average writing material. There are so many twists and turns its harder to engage with any characters as their allegiances change on the fly so often. Cinematography is average but the soundtrack is great. Some cool moments aside there was little to excite compared to so many others in its genre.
Aug 11, 2021
3
(Mauro Lanari)
He had said he would retire after the two seasons of "The Knick" (2014-15), but he still wanders around with his misanthropy under the illusion, as already too many times, that it is entertaining. An unbearable tedium that further increases the planetary furnace temperature. At the stake.
Jul 5, 2021
3
The ingredients were right but the outcome was dull and a bit puzzling. The characters weren't fleshed out, they were simply picked up and sent off, so it was hard to invest yourself. And for three guys with guns, they were really soft-spoken on the job.
