Colin McIvor brings a powerful bank heist story out of the vault and into the streets of Dublin in No Ordinary Heist (2026). Based on the real-life events of Dublin’s £26.5m infamous 2004 Northern Bank robbery comes a pulsating crime-action story co-written by McIvor and Aisling Corristine.
Two leads in bank employees, Richard Murray (Eddie Marsan) and Barry McKenna (Éanna Hardwicke) have got everything to lose. Richard and his wife Celine (Eva Birthistle) and Barry’s mother, Tracey (Aislin McGuckin) are placed in the up-most traumatic situation – abducted and held hostage until Richard and Barry complete their mission.
Marsan’s Richard is an angsty, by-the-books office worker who’s just trying to keep his worry under control. Richard and Barry are tasked with stealing money from their company’s vault and sneaking it out the building without their co-workers realising. But Richard is tested on his loyalty and humanity as he must return for more. McIvor emphasises the main message behind No Ordinary Heist – what it means to be human.
No Ordinary Heist: A Fast-paced Story
The question running throughout is – how far will he go to protect his family? As paranoia sets in, Richard becomes further embroiled into the dangerous scheme. Just when he thinks he’s done his job, he’s brought back into criminal duties. With security hot on his tail, Richard must do the wrong thing to get the right outcome for his family.
But watching their every move through CCTV camera footage is security Mags Fulton (Michelle Fairley). No Ordinary Heist is set during Christmas time which ups the stakes. However, at a time when family comes together, this story sets them apart. Two characters who never really connected are now forced to care about each other as that’s all they have for this heist to work out.
Quick Witted Dialogue
Quick witted dialogue intensifies the already boiling to the surface stirring drama. The sound of the clock ticking in the background in multiple scenes constantly serves as a reminder that the heist is imminent. It’s fast-paced story keeps the tension building. Yet the thudding hum of a distant drum is also perfectly placed playing in the background of scenes at the most tensional points. The dark wash over the screen brilliantly captures the deep secrets of our leads and the criminal storyline.
Richard does well in hiding his hostage situation against his workplace colleagues. A series of dissolved cuts cleverly connect Richard’s workday with what’s happening behind the scenes. A timer in the corner counts down until the big heist moment. Quick cuts mirror this fast-paced action.
Then mixed in with all this fast-paced criminal action is archival footage from news reports at the time. Drawing from Dublin’s history adds a more personal touch to this film. And tells a shocking revelation that you can find out by watching No Ordinary Heist (2026) on Sky Cinema now.
Rating: 3 1/2 Stars
Also make sure to check out our interview with No Ordinary Heist’s director, Colin McIvor here.