A Freddie Highmore Heist Movie Is Dominating Netflix
Freddie Highmore's new heist movie is climbing the Netflix charts.
This article is more than 2 years old
Actor Freddie Highmore is known for many things when it comes to television and feature films but a Spanish action thriller he is not. That is all about to change as his new film has hit #2 on the popular streamer Netflix.
The Vault stars Freddie Highmore, who must have been on hiatus from The Good Doctor when he filmed this. He plays Thom Johnson for this Netflix project, an engineering graduate with genius-level intellect and an interest in the safe in the Bank of Spain. The building that houses said safe is over 100 years old. There are no blueprints available for the building. It is protected with a security system that includes an underground river set to flood the safe room if the walls are breached.
Thom’s interest is piqued even more after being approached by Walter Moreland (Liam Cunningham) when Walter explains that a legendary lost treasure will be stored in the safe. Two problems immediately arise for Thom and Walter, who want to break into the bank’s safe and claim the treasure. One – the treasure will only be held in the bank for 10 days before it moves to its final destination. Two – if he is able to come up with a crew and plan, they will have a mere 105 minutes to retrieve the treasure while the Bank’s staff is distracted by the Football World Cup (soccer for us Americans).
See, Walter was the Marine archaeologist who discovered the treasure, but the Spanish government claimed it for itself as Walter found the treasure in water they claim as their own. Walter puts a crew together which includes Thom, to break into the unbreakable.
As with most heist films, not everything is as it appears for Freddie Highmore and team. Walter’s ultimate goal is not necessarily the treasure’s gold. Sir Francis Drake comes into play as his treasure sets up a possible sequel. The Vault also stars Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), Sam Riley, and Famke Janssen (Taken trilogy, X-Men franchise).
For Freddie Highmore, The Vault represents the young actor’s first venture into R-rated material. The film was directed by Spanish director Jaume Balagueró from a script written by a handful of Spanish writers including Rowan Athale, Michel Gaztambide, Borja Glez. Santaolalla, Andres Koppel, and Rafa Martínez.
Freddie Highmore got his professional start on British television shows such as The Mists of Avalon, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, and I Saw You. His first big jump came in 2004 when he starred opposite Johnny Depp in the feature film Finding Neverland. His performance so impressed Depp that when Depp was tapped to play Willy Wonka, he recommended Highmore to co-star opposite him again as Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Both roles were great successes for Highmore.
The success of both Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory brought Freddie Highmore more high-profile roles. He starred in Arthur and the Invisibles and then August Rush. Highmore then lent his voice talents to the feature film The Golden Compass before starring in The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Freddie Highmore would return as Arthur by voicing the role in Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds. He would then star in The Art of Getting By before he’d take a few years off to finish college (Cambridge University) studying languages.
When Freddie Highmore returned to filming, he did it in a big way by taking on one of the most iconic horror characters of all time – Norman Bates. Highmore starred opposite Vera Farmiga in Bates Motel, a prequel series to the popular horror film, Psycho, by horror maestro Alfred Hitchcock. The series ran for five seasons and told the story of a young Norman and how his relationship with his over-bearing mother shaped the serial killing adult Norman fans would be introduced to in the 1960 film.
While Freddie Highmore played Norman, he also starred in the TV mini-series Close to the Enemy. Perhaps, though, even more popular than his role as Norman Bates, is what came next for Highmore. The Good Doctor has Freddie Highmore star as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a brilliant young autistic savant surgeon. The medical drama is highly acclaimed and sees Highmore not only act but also produce and direct. For his performance as the autistic Dr. Murphy, Highmore has received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
While Freddie Highmore continues his role on The Good Doctor, he also has been seen on the series Leonardo. Up next for Highmore is the animated feature, Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost. You can find Freddie Highmore’s first R-rated feature, The Vault, on Netflix.
