When a priceless Monet painting is stolen from a leading New York art gallery, the police find themselves wondering which world-class art thief pulled the job. What they don't know is that the thief wasn't a professional, but an amateur. Thomas Crown (
Pierce Brosnan) was born poor but made his way through Oxford on a boxing scholarship. With his sharp sense for business and ruthless ambition, Crown has become a self-made billionaire; but despite his wealth and power, he still seeks new challenges, and he steals art not for the profits but for the sheer excitement. However, as fun as art theft might be, it's still illegal, and investigator Catherine Danning (
Rene Russo) is brought in to track down the culprit. Certain clues point to Crown, so Danning introduces herself into Crown's social circle. Police detective Michael McCann (
Denis Leary) warns Danning that Crown can easily draw people in with his effortless charm, and getting too close to him will not be good for her investigation. She is amused by McCann's suggestion -- until she finds herself falling for Crown. The Thomas Crown Affair was adapted from the popular 1968 caper film of the same name starring
Steve McQueen and
Faye Dunaway; Dunaway appears in the new film as Crown's analyst. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide