I’ve spent some time on this blog making fun of actors, like Ben Stiller, who play essentially the same character in every movie they’re in. That being said, it may be sort of hypocritical to admit that I’m a big Jason Statham fan because, apart from Snatch and Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, he’s as guilty of this as anyone. Really, it’s hard not to like the guy. In every movie he’s in, he’s just an unadulterated bad ass, indiscriminately kicking ass and taking names without letting emotion get in the way of the job at hand. Since this is what I like about him, you may be surprised to learn that I really enjoyed The Bank Job because there’s only one real action scene in the whole movie and it takes place in the last ten minutes.
The Bank Job is one of those movies that is “based on a true story” with the “based on” being very loosely defined. The real event on which the movie is based took place in London in 1971. The reason that it took this long for a movie based on the robbery to be made is that the government issued a gag order on media coverage for the sake of the national security. Used car lot owner Terry Leather (Statham) is convinced to perform a “sure thing” robbery that will leave him set for life. We get the vibe that Terry has always worked in a little bit of a legal gray area, but he admits that this is something entirely new for him. So, who or what could have convinced him to take the next step into major crime? Well, what causes most bad decisions made by men? Beautiful women, of course! The woman who gets to Terry is Martine Love, a former model who Terry has always had a weak spot for.
Obviously Martine, played by the lovely Saffron Burrows, hasn’t devised this plan herself and the real masterminds behind the plan have much loftier (and secretive) goals than just ransacking a few safety deposit boxes in the basement of a seemingly generic London bank. The web of parties interested in and affected by this robbery reaches both the highest and lowest points of England’s social landscape, from a member of the royal family to sleazy pornographer. The band of novice robbers quickly realize just how far in over their heads they are, and their quest for a life of leisure rapidly turns into a quest for self-preservation.
What makes The Bank Job successful is its pace and tightly knit storyline. There are no wasted scenes (in fact I recommend watching the deleted scenes because I think there are some they should have left in) and director Roger Donaldson does an excellent job building suspense. The acting performances are largely solid, with the supporting characters each adding something to the film without overstepping the logical boundaries of their roles. The film’s resolution is well composed and it is intriguing to see how the various plotlines come together.
As several critics have pointed out, The Bank Job is far and away the best heist movie in years. It is a refreshing change of pace from many of the recent additions to the genre which have devolved into high-tech, explosion ridden pieces of white washed mainstream dribble. The vast majority of movie goers will really enjoy The Bank Job and it is a good fit for most movie watching occasions.
Related posts:
Discussion
No comments for “The Bank Job - Movie Review”