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masterminds real story

by Prof. Mireille Smith Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

Masterminds is a 2016 American crime comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina. Directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer and Emily Spivey, the film stars Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Jason Sudeikis.

Full Answer

Is Masterminds based on a true story?

'Masterminds' Is Based On A True Story That'll Have You Scratching Your Head. Confession: I think about Ocean's Eleven a lot, more than any normal person probably should. I just love a good heist movie, compelled by the improbability of the mission and the unlikelihood that they'll pull it off and never get caught.

What are 5 interesting facts about masterminds?

Five really dumb Masterminds facts: 1. The money was huge. Ghantt (played by Zach Galifianakis) loaded more than $17 million, in mostly 20s and 50s, into an armored car. In the movie, that’s depicted as a wall of cash.

Is mastermind a good movie?

The site's critical consensus reads, " Mastermind ' s great cast and stranger-than-fiction true story are largely wasted on a scattershot comedy with a handful of funny moments and far too much wackiness." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 47 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Is masterminds still in production hell?

On the other hand, Masterminds has been in production hell for a long time and was supposed to be released over a year ago. While this doesn't say much about the overall production and budget, it explains why there are as many as six writers for the screenplay.

How did David ghantt get caught?

Authorities said they hired a man named Michael McKinney to meet up with Ghantt and kill him, under the guise that he was planning to give Ghantt more of the money he was owed. But before the hit could be carried out, the FBI swooped in and arrested Ghantt and the others.23-Aug-2021

Is Kelly Campbell married to Ghantt?

The robbery was committed by Loomis vault supervisor David Scott Ghantt, his married girlfriend Kelly Campbell (a former Loomis co-worker), Steven Eugene Chambers (a one-time FBI informant), his wife Michelle Chambers, Michael Gobbies, and four other co-conspirators.

Who are the real people from mastermind?

That story would be hard to beat. One other spoiler: The real-life Steve Chambers and David Ghantt pop up at the end of the movie.02-Oct-2016

Did Zach Galifianakis eat a tarantula?

You can almost feel the desperation of everyone involved with this film. Galifianakis is game for anything, including eating a dead tarantula (who knew tarantulas were filled with caramel syrup?), and having explosive diarrhea in a public swimming pool (who knew Zach Galifianakis was filled with caramel syrup?).

How many years did Kelly Campbell get?

six yearswas sentenced Tuesday to nearly six years in prison and ordered to pay back more than $4 million. Kelly Campbell, 29, a former company employee, entered guilty pleas earlier to bank larceny, money laundering and conspiracy to commit murder charges.26-Oct-1999

Where is Kelly Campbell?

Just two days after leaving Hulu, Kelly Campbell has been named president of rival streaming service Peacock. In her new role, Campbell will work with NBCUniversal leaders in TV, film, news and sports on live and original programming for Peacock. She starts in November and will be based in the L.A. area.06-Oct-2021

Are Masterminds real?

It's based on the true story of David Ghantt (Galifianikas), a vault supervisor at the Charlotte Loomis Fargo depository in Uptown Charlotte that was involved in the second largest cash robbery in history, making off with $17.4 million ($25 million today).29-Sept-2016

Is mastermind scripted?

The show is either fixed, or at least heavily scripted. The little trivia bits, how would you have those ready to go if you didn't know the questions beforehand? Also, the Master Minds never lose.

Is Loomis Fargo still in business?

Loomis, Fargo & Co., the current industry leader in the United States, is acquired by the Sweden-based security company Securitas and is integrated into the Securitas Cash Handling Services division. To fanfare, Loomis is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm on December 9.

Who is the assassin in Masterminds?

Jason SudeikisIn the film, Jason Sudeikis plays a sadistic assassin hired to knock off Ghantt, who befriends him.27-Sept-2016

What happens at the end of mastermind?

The final text states that Steve Chambers served 11 years in prison, and he now owns a fitness center. David Ghantt served 11 years and he occasionally works as a film consultant. The Loomis Fargo robbery was one of the biggest heists of all time, and $2 million of the stolen money remains unaccounted for to this day.

Where was the movie Masterminds filmed?

AshevilleMasterminds, a big budget film with a long list of stars, filmed in the Asheville area during summer 2014 for release on September 30, 2016. Originally called "Loomis Fargo," Masterminds is an action comedy directed by Jared Hess and produced by Relativity Media.

Where did the Cash Heist take place?

As for the story itself, it occurred in October 1997, in Charlotte, North Carolina, when one of the largest cash heists in history was executed.

Did Ghantt show up to work?

Additionally, Ghantt did not show up to work the next morning, putting his whereabouuts into question. Eventually, their crimes caught up to them, and they were captured by the FBI and charged with crimes; all were found guilty and were given sentences ranging from probation to jailtime.

Who robbed the vault in the movie?

David Scott Ghantt (Galifianakis) along with Kelly Campbell (Wiig) and her friend Steve Chambers (Wilson), as well as a few others, robbed the Loomis Fargo vault. But their crime was hardly perfect. According to Citizen-Times, the robbers left behind millions and were caught on camera.

Who plays the FBI agent in the movie?

It centers around a bank robbery and all of the hijinks that ensue during its planning and execution, with Jones playing the FBI agent who's on the case and on their tail. With a cast like that, there is no doubt the movie is going to be nothing short of hilarious.

How much money did Ghantt put in his car?

Ghantt (played by Zach Galifianakis) loaded more than $17 million, in mostly 20s and 50s, into an armored car. In the movie, that’s depicted as a wall of cash. "The stack was about 4-feet high, 9-feet long and weighed over a ton when I got done," says Ghantt, 47.

Where did Ghantt and Chambers live?

While Ghantt moved to Mexico to let things cool down after the heist, his robbery cohorts stayed in North Carolina with the bulk of the money. They lived lavishly: "Mastermind" Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson) moved from a mobile home to a large home in a gated community, paid for in cash — alerting authorities.

How much money was stolen in the movie "The Last Jedi"?

5. $2 million is still unaccounted for. While the bulk of the stolen money was recovered and the group behind the crime sent to prison, more than $2 million remains unaccounted for. While the film says in the credits that Ghantt “lives the good life” in Florida, Ghantt says he’s working construction.

Is the pal part true?

The pal part is true: The real amateur killer Chambers sent couldn’t pull off the crime after traveling to Mexico. He wound up hanging out on the beach with Ghantt. “We ended up becoming friends. And (filmmakers) took that and ran with it,” Ghantt says.

Who pulled off the Loomis Fargo and Co. vault robbery?

David Ghantt, who pulled off the Loomis, Fargo & Co. vault robbery in 1997 and was sentenced to seven years in prison for the crime, served as a consultant for the film (in theaters Friday). “We were not telling a verbatim story or making a documentary,” director Jared Hess says.

How does Ghantt lock himself in the back of the van?

In the movie: Ghantt accidentally locks himself in the back of the van after he has it completely loaded with cash. He fits partway through a small opening between the cargo hold and the cab of the vehicle, enough to use the key to start the engine, but needs to duct-tape bricks of money together to reach the gas pedal. Upon doing so, the van crashes through the door of the loading dock and out onto the street, where he is freed by Campbell and Chambers.

What did Ghantt discover in the movie?

In the movie: While talking to Campbell from Mexico, Ghantt discovers a gym membership card with Chambers’s name and photo on it, in a wallet that Chambers gave Campbell to give to Ghantt. It’s a revelation that gives Ghantt power over Chambers.

Why did Ghantt and Campbell send pages to one another?

Ghantt ultimately agreed to the plan, largely, due to a mountain of credit-card debt and in hopes of changing his life for the better. In the movie: Ghantt and Campbell send pages to one another featuring the numbers “143” – which at the time of the existence of beepers was code for “I love you.”.

What did Ghantt buy in real life?

Purchases included a pool table, jewelry (including a $43,000 diamond ring), a minivan, $20,000 worth of cigars, and the 7,000-square-foot home on the side of Cramer Mountain. In the movie: From Mexico, Ghantt calls Campbell at a pay phone in Mecklenburg County every Tuesday and Thursday.

Where did Ghantt crash in the movie?

In the movie: Ghantt and McKinney trade plane tickets at the airport, then beat up three Mexican law enforcement agents, then Ghantt returns to North Carolina, then he crashes a party at the Chambers’s mansion, where he rescues Campbell and gets Chambers to confess.

Where was Ghantt captured?

Ghantt was apprehended in Mexico and returned to the United States in custody. So the last third of the movie is almost entirely fiction.

Was Ghantt married in real life?

In real life: False. Ghantt was already married when he took part in the heist, to a woman named Tammy – who author Diamant described as “very nice.”. It is true, however, that she had no idea about the plot and that he fled to Mexico without telling her. “She was devastated,” Diamant said.

What is the movie Masterminds based on?

Masterminds is a 2016 American crime comedy film based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo Robbery in North Carolina. Directed by Jared Hess and written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer and Emily Spivey, the film stars Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Jason Sudeikis .

How much did Masterminds make in 2016?

The film was projected to gross $10 million from 3,042 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $2,325,546 on its first day. It went on to gross $6,541,205 in its opening weekend, finishing 6th at the box office.

What does Steve tell David to do when he refuses to wire the money?

When Steve refuses to wire the money, his two friends kidnap Kelly and he tells David to get a ticket to South America in exchange for her release. At the airport, he meets McKinney, who is returning to the U.S., but as he bids farewell he sees Kelly's name written on his hand and tells McKinney that he knows her.

What is the rating of Mastermind?

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 34% based on reviews from 99 critics, with an average rating of 4.63/10. The site's critical consensus reads, " Mastermind ' s great cast and stranger-than-fiction true story are largely wasted on a scattershot comedy with a handful of funny moments and far too much wackiness." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 47 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B–" on an A+ to F scale.

Who is the driver of the Loomis car?

They involve Loomis armored car driver David Scott Ghantt ( Zach Galifianakis ). After some awkward training in preparation for the robbery, the team has David go inside Loomis' vault and load the entire money supply into the company's van. Before he leaves, David takes out three CCTV tapes, but misses one.

When was the movie Relativity released?

Release. The film was released in the United States on September 30, 2016. The film was previously scheduled to be released on August 19, 2015, a date which, in July 2015, Relativity rescheduled to October 9, 2015. The company pushed back the date because it was facing a financial crisis.

Who is the guy that robbed Loomis Fargo?

In March 1997, after Loomis Fargo & Company has been robbed of $18.8 million in Jacksonville by company security guard Philip Noel Johnson , Steve Eugene Chambers ( Owen Wilson) and Kelly Campbell ( Kristen Wiig ), who are also employees of Loomis, decide to rob the company. They involve Loomis armored car driver David Scott Ghantt ( Zach Galifianakis ). After some awkward training in preparation for the robbery, the team has David go inside Loomis' vault and load the entire money supply into the company's van. Before he leaves, David takes out three CCTV tapes, but misses one. The next day, David flees to Mexico with $20,000 and takes the cover name "Michael McKinney", which is the name of a friend of Steve's. Meanwhile, Steve takes most of the heist, around $17 million.

How did the FBI find out about David Ghantt?

The FBI found out Ghantt was in Mexico, by listening to phone conversations between David and Kelly, the one he had a crush on. "She hangs up and you hear the discussion about them planning to kill David Ghantt and sending a hit man down there," Wydra says.

Why did the collaborators leave behind 3 million in one's and 5's?

So much money, the collaborators actually left behind three million in one's and five's, because they had no place to stash it all. Special agent, Mark Rozzi, says identifying the primary suspect was easy. However, there were about twenty more people involved.

Where was the movie "Dumb Crooks" filmed?

The central characters are played up as dumb crooks in the production shot in Western North Carolina, featuring big comic stars including Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, and Owen Wilson. Galifianakis plays the role of David Ghantt, who worked at Loomis Fargo in Charlotte.

Is Masterminds a comedy?

While Masterminds is billed as a comedy, there's something flawed about the characters in it. "He thought this was gonna be the better life, the better wife," Rozzi says. David Ghantt found out, the cash isn't greener on the other side.

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