The Bank Job

Don’t let the plain title fool you, The Bank Job is a heavy dose of refreshing filmmaking buried in the pile of spring season film waste.

It must be hard for filmmakers to keep the heist film alive, some fail and submerge themselves in clichés, but director Roger Donaldson keeps his film afloat, full of life.

The film tells the true story of the robbing of a London bank in 1971. Surrounded with ulterior motives, political conspiracy and a royal sex scandal, this is not your typical bank job. Plans are put in motion by some pretty important people to hire some chums to knock off a bank, get into the safety deposit boxes and retrieve some potentially damaging pictures. The thieves are allowed to keep whatever loot they recover, but they must return the photographs. Easy right?

No heist movie is complete without a series of hiccups to alter plans and change courses of action. Talented actor Jason Statham leads the bank robbing pack. His Terry is fused with a handsome mix of wild charisma and street-level smarts.

The Bank Job has its flaws. It expects the viewer to remember the real story. It leaves some things out, assuming everyone has a clue what the film is referring to. The film also has several characters, all highly developed, all trying to get their own side-story. Donaldson makes the best out of a complicated and cramped script, but some subplots could’ve been left out.

Aside from its few shortcomings, The Bank Job is a funny, clever as all hell, entertaining ride that successfully grabs hold of you, and barely lets up. A-