The Bank Job

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Customer Reviews

• January 13, 2010Great British Heist Movie based on a true story

  I wasn't familiar with the Baker Street robbery that took place in London in the early '70s and provides the source material for this British picture. The "Bank Job" has a lot to really like, but at the top of my list was the amazing recreation of 1971 London --- from the streets of the city to the styling of the clothing and hair of the characters. This amazing attention to time and place, along with the stellar ensemble cast of petty criminals, immediately sets the tone for this movie and transports you back to the time of post-60s disillusionment.
  
  Unlike other suspense films, "The Bank Job" doesn't have so many twists and turns that it leaves you confused and frustrated trying to piece together an elaborate jigsaw puzzle. Perhaps this is because it is based on a true story and the screenplay remains true to the real life events. I'm still surprised that these petty thieves were able to get away with such a preposterous bank heist. "The Bank Job" is an entertaining, fast paced and engaging movie that is well worth a viewing.

• December 29, 2009The Bank Job

  Movie about a real-life heist that delivers old-fashioned thrills. A masterful narrative full of odd twists and dark humor. The pleasure comes in watching one character after another get tangled up in a plot they all think they're controlling.

• December 21, 2009what do you say we have a go at robbing a bank?

  Nicely capturing the look, fashion, and atmosphere of a classic 70's British caper, Roger Donaldson's Bank Job (2008) is supposedly based on an actual bank robbery that took place in London in 1971. The film features a group of working class mates, who looking for a big score, band together on something of a lark, to have a go at robbing a bank. But things are not what they seem, and with a bit of bad luck, things escalate to total chaos. More than just a straight caper adventure, the complicated and seemingly unlikely tale, also includes political intrigue at high levels of the British government.
  
  Former model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), is setup for a drug bust while returning from holiday, and contacts Tim Everett (Richard Lintern) for help. Everett, a government official involves her in an elaborate scheme to find someone to rob a bank, in order to recover compromising photos of British royalty taken in Jamaica by one Michael X (Peter De Jersey), and locked in a safety deposit box.
  
  Martine runs the idea by Terry Leather (Jason Statham), an old friend who currently runs a used car dealership, and is having financial troubles. Rounding up mates Dave Schilling (Daniel Mays) and Kevin Swain (Stephen Campbell Moore), tunneling specialist Bambas (Alki David) and front man Guy Singer (James Faulkner) the group begins planning the robbery of Lloyds Bank, located in the heart of London. Securing the lease on an nearby shop, the group begin tunneling towards the vault, with a lookout on the roof of a nearby building in radio contact in case of trouble. Even while still inside looting the vault, the police are already looking for them, having been tipped by a radio operator who has overheard their communications.
  
  All hell breaks loose soon after the gang escapes with over four million pounds in loot, and incriminating photos of royalty and Whitehall officials. Also missing are the records of an organized crime leader (David Suchet), who is willing to do some very harsh things to get them back.
  
  Although based on a real events, to what extent is unclear, as exactly what was stolen from the vault was never determined. Why the British government, with so much at stake, would back such a dodgy venture is a complete mystery. It seems totally insane, but apparently it happened. How could the government expect that the thieves would not look at the photos? Where are the negatives? As copying records is simple, the odds of matters ending without complications was highly doubtful. Was there really a burial vault below the building? If so it was one fortuitous coincidence. Many questions remain unanswered, and the film does not have a comfortable sense of closure.
  
  Bank Job is not as gritty and violent as some crime films from the period, but it has a retro vibe, and tells its tale without a lot of gadgets, stunts, special effects, fights or chases. With solid acting all the way around, staying closer to reality is kind of a refreshing approach. Some may be disappointed this isn't a balls out action extravaganza like Death Race, but Bank Job is more a nod to the past.

• November 3, 2009solidly crafted crime drama

  Terry Leather is a shady car dealer in East London who finds himself in hock to a local gangster who`s putting the screws on everyone who owes him money. Desperate for some quick cash, Terry allows a former friend and model to trick him into helping pull off a major bank heist, unaware that he and his buddies are actually being used by the British authorities to steal some scandalous photos that, if published, could seriously embarrass the royal family. The potential blackmailer is a black radical who models himself on Malcolm X and who thinks he holds the upper hand with the authorities as long as he is in possession of the pictures, which he has put in a safety deposit box in Lloyds Bank. Terry and his crew, unaware of the back story and convinced there is a fortune to be had for the taking, fall right into the authorities' trap, bearing all the risk should the scheme somehow fail, yet sharing in few of the rewards should it come off as planned.
  
  Based on an actual event that took place in 1971, "The Bank Job" is a solid, old-fashioned heist drama directed by Roger Donaldson with a super-abundance of suspense, energy and style. There are twists and double crosses aplenty in the screenplay by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, which uses the bank robbery as a mere jumping-off point for a scathing survey of the London crime scene, ranging from the lowest levels of two-bit thievery to the upper reaches of police and governmental corruption. There's also just enough uniqueness in the setup to keep us from feeling we know where the story is heading while it`s still playing itself out. Despite a rather large cast of characters, we're usually able to keep most of the people straight during the course of the drama, though there are a few moments in the back half of the film where a little more clarity might have been helpful.
  
  In a bit of a change-of-pace for himself as an actor, Jason Statham gets to shed his "Transporter" action-hero image in favor of a more recognizable working-class stiff and family man who happens to have a serious penchant for running afoul of the law. Also compelling is Saffron Burrows - a dead-ringer for a young Charlotte Rampling - who stars as the seductive go-between who lures Terry and his men into a plan that may well lead to their undoing.
  
  The Great Bank Robbery of 1971 had the dual effect of not only turning villains into heroes but of helping to purge much of the corruption and rot lurking in the top echelons of British society. It's a fascinating piece of twentieth century history brought to vivid and memorable life in a gripping and stylish film.

• September 12, 2009I loved it

  This Statham movie had a great story line and great ending. The little guy can win!