You’ve probably seen Demi Moore in everything from Ghost to G.I. Jane, but there’s this one flick that usually slips through the cracks. It’s called Flawless. Honestly, it’s a bit of a weird one because it doesn’t fit the typical "Demi Moore movie" mold. No high-octane action. No supernatural pottery. Instead, we get a 1960s period piece where she’s playing an American executive trapped under a massive glass ceiling in London.
The year was 2007 when this came out. Or 2008, depending on where you lived. It’s a heist movie, but not the Ocean’s Eleven kind with flashy gadgets and upbeat music. It’s slower. More deliberate. It’s got Michael Caine in it, too, which basically guarantees at least some level of "cool factor." But despite the star power, it feels like a movie people only find by accident on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Why Flawless Still Matters for Demi Moore Fans
In the mid-2000s, Demi Moore was in a bit of a transition phase. She wasn't the "Striptease" era megastar anymore, but she also hadn't quite moved into the "prestige indie" roles we've seen her take lately, like in The Substance. Flawless was an interesting bridge. She plays Laura Quinn, the only female executive at the London Diamond Corporation.
She’s smart. She’s better than her male peers. And yet, she keeps getting passed over for promotions. It’s frustrating to watch, which is exactly why you root for her when she decides to break the law. You’ve got to love a good "stick it to the man" story. Especially when the "man" is a group of stuffy, 1960s British aristocrats who can’t fathom a woman running a boardroom.
The Plot That Most People Get Wrong
People hear "heist" and they think of a vault being blown up. That’s not what happens here. The movie starts with an elderly Laura Quinn—played by Moore in some... let’s call it ambitious old-age makeup—telling her story to a journalist. The meat of the movie is a flashback.
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Michael Caine plays Mr. Hobbs, the janitor. He’s been working there for decades. He knows every corner of that building. He knows where the cameras are, and more importantly, he knows the vault codes. He approaches Laura with a simple plan: fill a thermos with diamonds. Just a small amount. Enough to make them rich, but not enough for the company to notice right away.
But here’s the kicker. Hobbs isn't just looking for a nice retirement. He goes way bigger than he told Laura. Instead of a thermos-full, he drains the entire vault. Two tons of diamonds. Gone. The look on Moore's face when she realizes she’s part of a multi-million-pound heist instead of a petty theft is one of the best moments in her career. It’s pure, unadulterated panic.
A Different Side of 1960s London
Most movies set in the 60s London go for the "Swinging Sixties" vibe. You know, Minis, bright colors, the Beatles. Flawless goes the opposite way. It’s gray. It’s cold. It’s formal. Director Michael Radford (the guy who did Il Postino) focuses on the grit and the industrial nature of the diamond business. It feels heavy.
The relationship between Moore and Caine is the heart of the film. They’re an odd pair. An executive and a janitor. But they’re both invisible in their own ways. She’s invisible because of her gender; he’s invisible because of his class. It’s a subtle bit of social commentary that makes the movie feel a bit more "intellectual" than your average popcorn thriller.
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The Realistic Stakes
One thing that makes Flawless stand out is how it handles the aftermath. Most heist movies end when the characters get away. This one is about the investigation. Enter Lambert Wilson as the investigator, Finch. The tension comes from Laura trying to keep her cool while the company—and the insurance guys—start sweating over their lost inventory.
It’s actually quite stressful. There’s no gunplay. Just people talking in rooms, looking at ledgers, and trying to figure out how two tons of rocks disappeared from a secure vault. It’s a battle of wits. Honestly, Moore plays the "internalized terror" thing really well. She’s always one second away from a total breakdown, but she’s too professional to let it happen.
Critical Reception and Where it Landed
When it was released, critics were sort of "meh" about it. It holds a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not a disaster, but not a masterpiece either. Most people agreed that Caine was great (as always) and Moore was solid, but some felt the pacing was a bit sluggish.
The box office wasn't anything to write home about, either. It made about $6.8 million worldwide. That’s basically lunch money for a modern Marvel movie. But box office numbers don’t always tell the whole story. For fans of Moore, this was a chance to see her do something dramatic and restrained. She didn’t have to be a sex symbol or an action hero. She just had to be a woman who’d finally had enough.
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What You Can Learn from the Movie Flawless
If you're looking for a lesson here, it's about the cost of being underestimated. Both Laura and Hobbs succeed because nobody thinks they’re capable of something so audacious. The bosses don't see Laura as a threat because she’s a "girl," and they don't see Hobbs as a threat because he’s just the guy who empties the bins.
It’s a classic underdog story wrapped in a velvet-lined jewelry box.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth a watch, especially if you like:
- Period dramas that actually care about historical accuracy.
- Michael Caine being a delightful, sneaky old man.
- Demi Moore delivering a performance that is much more nuanced than she usually gets credit for.
- Low-tech heists that rely on logic and timing instead of computer hacking.
The film serves as a reminder that the most dangerous person in the room is often the one you’re ignoring. It’s a quiet movie. It’s a slow-burn. But it stays with you.
To get the most out of your next viewing or if you're researching the era, check out real-life diamond heists like the Antwerp Diamond Heist of 2003—it makes the Flawless plot look almost tame by comparison. If you're looking to watch it, it’s often tucked away on streaming services like Peacock or available for a couple of bucks on VOD. Just don't go in expecting Mission Impossible. It's a character study first, a heist second.
Take a look at Moore's more recent work in The Substance afterward. You'll see how the quiet, simmering resentment she practiced in Flawless eventually evolved into the raw, explosive energy she’s bringing to the screen today. It's a cool trajectory to track.