For me, the action is the juice

Neil McCauley: “Our problem is take the bank or split right now, do not go home, do not pack, nothing. 30 seconds flat from now we are gone on our separate ways, that's it...”

The fallout of the previous scene marks a turning point for McCauley’s crew, and connects to the theme of a reluctant return to normality. Unlike the “dipshit crews” that McCauley has such disdain for, most of his team have the financial means with which to step away from this existence:

Neil McCauley: "Elaine takes good care of you, you got plenty put away, T-Bonds real estate. If I were you I would be smart, I'd cut loose of this.”

However, as highlighted in previous posts, it is clear that these men are unable to attend “barbecues and ballgames”. This can be seen in their reactions during McCauley’s ‘separate ways’ speech. As he describes the need to disband, it feels like a funeral – the men mourning the end of their criminal careers. Anybody falling into this lifestyle due to unfavorable circumstances would jump at the opportunity to escape. What we see among these men however, is that they are in it for other reasons:

Michael Cheritto: “well, ya’ know for me, The action is the juice”

Having tasted the possibility of returning to normality, the crew doubles down on their next score. A key point here is McCauley’s non-response. Though he says nothing, he cracks a slight smile, an indication that he is onboard, and beyond that, a sense of excitement that the stakes have been raised even higher, and that this is his reality.

“They’re looking at us.”

In the next scene, we see McCauley’s skill, with the criminals now observing the police. As a direct inversion of the earlier stakeout, it’s solely Hanna who realizes that they are being watched, much to the bemusement of his crew.

A key difference between Hanna and McCauley however, is their response to the discovery of being watched. Where McCauley is cautious, Hanna revels in the turning of the tables. What this shows is that although these men reflect methodologies, their focuses within the framework differ: for McCauley, it’s all about the destination, but for Hanna, it’s all about the journey. While the branches may be different, the root is the same - both men thrive under the challenge, because it is a way to evade normality.

“What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him.”

– Viktor Frankl

Vincent Hanna: “Is this guy something or is he something…”

Hanna’s observation is an indication of what elevates these two men from the rest of their cohorts. Both pursue something which is imperceptible to those around them, and while the teams on both sides follow with commitment, Hanna and McCauley lead with conviction.

At this point, both know with certainty that their paths will cross - the smiles of these serious men show that they welcome the opportunity.