Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan’s Heist Thriller ‘12 12 12’ Is Another Solid Apple TV Series | Review

Published Nov 12, 2026, 3:12 AM EST

David is a Senior Editor at Collider focused primarily on Lists. His professional journey began in the mid-2010s as a Marketing specialist before embarking on his writing career in the 2020s. At Collider, David started as a Senior Writer in late 2022 and has been a Senior Editor since mid-2023. He is in charge of ideating compelling and engaging List articles by working closely with writers, both Senior and Junior, as well as other editors. Occasionally, David also reviews movies and TV shows and writes episode recaps. Currently, David is also writing his second novel, a psychological horror satire that will, hopefully, be picked up for publication sometime next year.

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What matters the most in a heist story? The before, which includes the meticulous, ambitious, often logic-defying planning needed to pull off such a task? The during, which makes the audience a part of the heist, witnessing the comings and goings — not to mention the inevitable complications of the theft? Or the after, where the thieves either escape to enjoy their spoils or get caught by the law?

Apple TV's new crime drama 12 12 12 embraces all three, taking the viewer behind the scenes for 12 months of planning, immersing them in 12 hours of execution, and bringing them along for the 12 days following the heist. Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie star as the thief behind the heist and the cop trying to stop him, respectively, leading an ensemble of recognizable but rather underrated performers. The result is a thrilling heist story with a festive setting that never runs out of steam, even if its novel approach makes the narrative unnecessarily convoluted.

What Is '12 12 12' About?

12 12 12 begins every episode with Mackie's FBI agent Jack Strickland stating the same creed: a successful heist takes 12 months of planning and 12 hours to execute. If the thieves aren't caught in the 12 days after the heist occurs, they won't be caught at all. Thus, each episode is split into three timelines: the 12 months before, the 12 hours during, and the 12 days after. Dornan plays Paul Galvin, a renowned thief trying to start over in France with his partner, Severine (Agathe Rousselle). Things change when his troublesome brother, Bobby (Jack Kesy), recruits him for a dangerous and ambitious job on behalf of a woman named Bazin (Jeanne Balibar) that involves stealing from a ruthless Russian mob family. Hot on Paul's trail is Strickland, who's still haunted by a heist at Newark airport where the Galvins took something from him.

12 12 12's ensemble cast also includes Sallie Harmsen as Lena, Strickland's acidic Swiss partner; José García as Serge, Severine's loyal father; Hildegard Schroedter as Gunda, Paul's ally at the bank; Julius Feldmeier as Albrech, a contortionist and a member of the crew; and Emmy nominee Kali Reis as Kira, a train expert and another member of the crew. The series is created and executive produced by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble. Emmy nominee and BAFTA winner Kari Skogland directs multiple episodes. Additional executive producers include Dornan and Mackie, with Mackie executive producing under his Make It With Gravy production banner.

'12 12 12' Is All About the Heist's Before and After

12 12 12's main selling point is its narrative structure, and it delivers for the most part. Each timeline is afforded equal screen time, and the writing keeps things interesting, slowly revealing new details with each new episode. It would've been better if each timeline had a more distinct visual identity, though, and for the holiday setting to be more prominent — as it stands, the entire show looks the same. That said, the cinematography is pretty solid, and Skogland, who helms multiple episodes, including the premiere, approaches their direction with plenty of confidence, if not necessarily flair.

However, 12 12 12's three-timeline structure is also a hindrance. Consider the best heist movies: the "before" is crucial for meeting the characters and establishing the stakes. The heist itself is usually the best part — think of the legendary 30-minute sequence in Rififi or the exhilarating, kinetic shootout in Heat — while the "after" is a celebration the viewer gets to enjoy alongside the thieves. Watching Danny Ocean's crew at the Bellagio Fountain while "Claire de Lune" plays is far more cathartic because of the struggle they've just been through to pull off their heist in the first place.

While 12 12 12's "before" decently paints a great portrait of how the heist comes together, the "during" is where the show stumbles. No matter what happens during the 12 hours of the theft itself — the betrayals, the unforeseen complications, the secrets and lies among the crew — you already know they pull it off, make it out of the vault, and get away far enough to be chased. Thus, the plot comes to a halt every time the "during" timeline is front and center; the pacing does pick up steam in the last three episodes, when, as in any heist movie worth a damn, a late-game reveal makes the stakes feel more urgent.

Luckily, 12 12 12's "after" makes up for any "during" flaws, with the 12 days following the heist by far the show's most compelling. There's a ticking clock surrounding Strickland, who's quite ruthless in his pursuit because of his previous history with Galvin. Whenever the third timeline comes to the forefront, 12 12 12 turns into a crime drama rather than a heist thriller, allowing the show to delve deeper into the psychology of its two flawed protagonists.

'12 12 12' Has a Characterization Issue

Image via Apple TV

Speaking of the show's protagonists, 12 12 12 is a great showcase for Dornan and Mackie. The former is very compelling as a conflicted criminal mastermind to root for despite a rather frustrating way of doing things. As the show illustrates ad nauseam, Paul is the best of the best, a born thief who has crime running through his blood. Dornan and the writers do solidly sell Paul's genius, making him resourceful and creative rather than a criminal savant. For his part, Mackie is great as the stoic and unstoppable Strickland. The FBI agent is, for lack of a better word, an ass: rude, kind of demeaning, and perpetually haunted by his past mistakes. To Mackie's credit, Strickland never becomes outright off-putting, but not for lack of trying.

Paul and Strickland are the plot's main drivers, and everything and everyone revolves around them, which is great for them, but not so much for their co-stars. In fact, every other actor in the show is borderline wasted, which is a shame considering the talent involved. Kesy's trainwreck of a brother, Bobby, has the most to do, and thus makes the biggest impact as one of the year's most loathsome and frustrating characters. Schroedter's Gunda and Feldmeier's Albrech are also scene-stealers that deserved more to work with, especially because the show hints at a deeper bond between them.

It's particularly unfortunate for Rousselle, so magnetic and bold in 2021's Titane, to be playing what ultimately amounts to a love interest here. Emmy nominee Reis is equally, frustratingly wasted in a role that is important to the plot yet receives next to no development. The rest of the crew are there and deliver some lines, but that's about it. As for García and Harmsen, they get considerable screen time and play key roles in the narrative, but viewers are never given more time to understand their characters beyond general archetypes. With eight episodes and three timelines, it's a huge missed opportunity that none of the supporting characters have any meaningful arc.

In the end, though, 12 12 12 is a very strong heist thriller that doubles as the perfect holiday viewing. It's imperfect, and its plot has more holes than Swiss cheese, but that's hardly exclusive to this series — in fact, a heist story can't be great without a few plot holes. Most importantly, it's yet another solid entry in Apple's original catalog, a confident and thrilling crime saga with a great aftertaste that could stand to have more bite.

12 12 12 premieres November 12 on Apple TV.

12 12 12

A confident, albeit flawed, heist thriller that serves as perfect holiday viewing.

7 10

Pros & Cons

• Jamie Dornan and Anthony Mackie are excellent foils for each other.
• The 12 months before the heist do a great job establishing the plan and the stakes.
• The 12 days after the heist are a compelling and thrilling journey that never runs out of steam.

• The 12 hours of the heist are the weakest part, struggling to maintain momentum.
• The supporting cast is entirely wasted.