The Bank Job (2008) User Reviews

Improbable Reality

[janos451 · 8/10 · 7 March 2008]

If "The Bank Job" were fiction, it would be a fairly decent robbery caper. As it is, "The Bank Job," a veritable documentary and realistic whodunit, is awesome.

Unlike most films, this one requires a couple of advance tips: First, watch it with the improbable idea in mind that most of it is actual, hard-to-believe truth; second, don't be impatient. As the story of a 1971 bank robbery begins, the setting in London, the parade of seemingly unconnected stories and characters is rather confusing, complex, disjointed. But stay with it - there is a crescendo of excitement and excellence.

The true elements of "The Bank Job," some hidden until recently by Britain's "D Notice" censorship law (modified in 1993, becoming DA, or Defense Advisory) are these:

1. A big bank robbery did take place on Baker Street in 1971, culprits never found, money never recovered. After initial big headlines, the story disappeared from the newspapers.

2. There was serious police corruption in London in the 1970s, cops on payrolls of drug dealers and pornographers.

3. Princess Margaret was involved in a series of affairs, some caught on compromising photos which were not published by the otherwise relentlessly sensational British press, under the D-Notice rule.

4. There was a militant British black-power advocate, called Michael X, involved in a one-man, multi-country crime wave. (In 1971, John Lennon paid for Michael X's bail, something not mentioned in the film.)

"The Bank Job" director Roger Donaldson (of "No Way Out") brings together all these true threads in a way that may be true even in its totality, director and cast prevailing over some shoddy work from too many writers.

The content is all true, the context is excitingly possible. Did the government, in trying to prevent exposure of Princess Margaret by evidence in Michael X's possession, mastermind the bank robbery? Was MI-5 or MI-6 (says a policeman in the film: "I never remember which is which") involved, and actually assisting the robbers? Again, possibly.

The cast is remarkable: Jason Statham is the ringleader, the bad guy of "Transporter" and "The Italian Job" turning into a scourge of the really bad guys. Saffron Burrows, James Spader's vamp nemesis on "Boston Legal," brings her remarkable name and looks to the criminally and emotionally ambiguous major female role.

Peter De Jersey is a totally scary Michael X; David ("Poirot") Suchet is a frightening crime lord; and a whole host of top British stage actors fill in big roles and small ones. Don't be misled by reviews speaking of a so-so thriller - "The Bank Job" is a great deal more than that, even to the point that you may want to see it more than once.

I'll Throw a Brick at You!

[WriterDave · 7/10 · 11 March 2008]

Sold to the American public as another D-level action pic staring Jason Statham, "The Bank Job" is actually a crafty British heist flick based on an incredible true story. The screenwriters deserve credit for creating a serviceable script with so many intertwining stories based on little actual evidence, conjecture, here-say, and conspiracy theories revolving around royal and political sex scandals, militant Caribbean drug lords, undercover MI5 agents, bumbling crooks, crooked cops, and double-crosses and cover-ups. It could've easily been a confusing mess, but providing the viewer pays attention, "The Bank Job" gets the job done as crackerjack entertainment.

Though aptly directed by veteran Roger Donaldson, the film does suffer from an overly salacious opening ten minutes designed to grab the audience's attention, some shoddy editing, and an intrusively bad action-style music score. There's also an attention to 1970's period detail in the dialogue and clothes that comes across as caricature and adds an accidentally humorous undertone to the otherwise cold-as-ice affair. However, the details of the "truth is stranger than fiction" tale and the fun had by the ensemble cast make for a breezy way to spend a few hours.

Donaldson also has an eye for the ladies. Led by a smashingly gorgeous Saffron Burrows (looking like a European version of Michelle Pfeiffer circa 1992), the powerful women depicted in "The Bank Job" are far more than just eye candy. Statham is also fairly good as the head of the bank robbing crew, and when he finally throws a brick at a guy near the end of the film, it will put a smile on any action fan's face.

Things get tidied up a bit too nicely in the end, where it seems only the really villainous characters have to face justice, but before the credits role, there are a series of real-life epilogued details plastered on the screen that make the viewer realize maybe this all really did happen. Now that's a jolly good show.

Slow beginning but brilliant pay off

[simonparker1990 · 8/10 · 12 February 2008]

I'll be honest, I only saw The Bank Job because I had some free tickets for an advance screening, had I have not got these tickets I would not have bothered seeing it. The only trailer I had saw for it just didn't really appeal to me, I do enjoy Jason Statham movies, but this one seemed a bit serious in my eyes. Still I went today to the 6.30 screening and was surprised to enjoy it quite as much as I did. Admittedly for the first half hour I did get quite bored, the characters weren't really memorable and the set up seemed really dull. Thankfully when the heist gets under way, and especially the aftermath, the movie hits top gear and left me thrilled. The fact the movie is based on a true story still leaves me quite amazed, as the events that happen seem purely like the stuff that you see in the movies. How much of it is real and how much of it is purely to make it a better movie, a fight involving Statham I am certain didn't happen. The performances are surprisingly well rounded, Statham doing a brilliant job and the majority of the supporting cast getting some great scenes. Alas the movie does start to fall apart under close inspection, the plot is never concluded quite as well as I would have liked, and the movie does have some long stretches where not a lot is happening. If you can overlook this fact then you will a lot to enjoy in this very well made movie.

So onto the performances. As I have said Statham does a surprisingly admirable job in the film. When you look at his CV of films you realise he isn't exactly the most talented actor. In fact all he generally has to do is grumble and hit things a lot. But there is just no denying that the man has a hell of a lot of charisma, in this film he truly gets to display his acting skills. Of course on occasion he delivers a dodgy line, but then if you watch some of the smaller scenes with his characters wife you realise how much potential he has. If given the right material I am sure Statham can truly develop as an actor. Saffron Burrows is brilliant as the slightly suspicious Martine for the first half, unfortunately after the heist she has little to do and the character never felt fully concluded. Still she does have some great moments in the earlier part of the film. Daniel Mays runs off with the majority of the movie as Dave, in fact this looks set to launch Mays career a bit further, he has the best lines and is a funny character. Richard Lintern (who I have to confess I thought was Dougray Scott for half the film) is brilliant as the man behind the heist, in some way that is, and his character is one of the most rounded. Peter De Jersey as Michael X is menacing in his all too brief screen time, but like Martine his character never felt fully dealt with. Still he and the other chief villain, David Suchet, are quite menacing.

The Bank Job when advertised does come across as a typical gangster flick with a lot of humour in it. However when watching it I have to be honest and say it isn't that funny. There are a couple of lines here and there but the movie doesn't really make you laugh that much. Neither is it that big of a gangster flick, of course there are the local gangster running around, and the movie becomes more along that line towards the end. But for the majority of the film it comes across as a slightly grittier and far less flashy Ocean's Eleven. The scenes where they try to rob the bank are definitely some of the highlights, however its the final 45 minutes that stick firmly in mind. What happens after the robbery is just thrilling to watch, will they get away with it, won't they? Things also get a lot darker near the end, also quite violent one scene, or the idea of what was going to happen, made me wince a bit. The film is superbly directed as well, its not too flashy but there are some great shots in there. Unfortunately the music does start to irritate after a while, everything seems overdone, a scene which is meant to be funny is ruined because the music sounds like its from an action movie, it just doesn't truly suit the film all the time. Also as previously mentioned the beginning as well is quite boring.

Overall The Bank Job is a great movie that with a bit of fine tuning at the beginning could make it even better. If you want a smart thriller that will surprise you because of it being based on real events that I highly recommend this. Don't expect an all time classic though.

Above Average Caper Flick

[ericjams · 7/10 · 17 March 2008]

As caper flicks go, all I really hope for is something that succeeds in being both novel and entertaining. My hopes were satisfied by The Bank Job. The plot itself is based very loosely on events that occurred in the 1970s in London. The royal family has some dark secrets. An outspoken activist/petty criminal/drug importer has evidence of these secrets, which he uses as leverage against the government who desperately wants to prosecute him. This evidence is stored in a safety deposit box within a London bank. British Intelligence conjures up a rather reckless plan of employing a bunch of two-bit/amateur criminals to break into the vault, and take the evidence along with whatever else they can carry out. Apart from one intermediary, none of the robbers know the government's secret agenda. Of course, things get complicated whenever the possibility that a bunch of dirty secrets are in the wrong hands, and eventually the movie juggles several interconnecting plot lines, all related to the contents of the vault and their implication on various interests from the royal family, to corrupt police, to the sexual indiscretions of parliament members.

The movie keeps a good pace and never takes itself too seriously. It builds up the plot lines and tries somewhat successfully to tie everything together. There is some good tension, a bit of violence (not much), and eventually, vindication for most of the parties.

The problems with the movie are numerous, but nothing that ultimately destroys the fun. Yes the movie is rife with inexplicably, unnecessary side characters (see female undercover agent in the Caribbean). Yes the movie's dialogue veers into indecipherable 1970s British slang, which gives a comedic undertone to conversations that are intended to be serious. Yes there exist rampant plot issues that make you wonder how stupid cops really are. And yes the acting is OK, at best, lets face it Jason Stracham is meant for British caper movies the way Keanu Reeves is meant to play a clueless surfer cop in Point Break - so while he's not winning any Academies, he fits these rolls just fine.

You could wait for the DVD, or if you are looking for a fun way to kill 2 hours, you should go to the theater for this one.

Finally, 2008 has a movie to brag about!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 9/10 · 14 April 2008]

I was watching Ebert and Roper the other day on TV and they were discussing 2008's movies and how over all they have been disappointed, I think we all have. But they did discuss the top movies to see and The Bank Job was in their top three, I finally found a theater that was still playing the movie, I saw it today and I have to say that I really loved this heist movie. It's definitely one of the better heist movies in a very long time because it brings something different to the table, this isn't a movie about the heist, it's the aftermath of the heist. We are always usually left wondering if the robbers got away with the heist afterwords in movies. Now this movie is based on a true story, it's based in the 1970's(bonus it doesn't remind you every 10 minutes) and it's about just amateur robbers that pulled off one of the largest heists in England's history with finding corrupt cops and ending badly.

Martine Love approaches Terry Leather, an amateur thief and long time friend. She offers information to get into one of the biggest heists they could hit, the ability to break into a vault. Terry and his group successfully break into the vault and takes four million pounds, including jewelery, cash, bonds, and some extremely private and damaging photos of the mobsters and government of England. When the group just about gets away with it, things go terribly wrong when one of the members are captured and they found out there was an alterer motive to this heist.

The Bank Job has great acting, terrific editing, and is just a great thriller that truly keeps your attention. Jason Statham, this guy has never really stood out to me as someone who could be a good actor, most of his movies could never display what he could do, but The Bank Job is without a doubt his finest role to date that I'm aware of, he pulls the part off well and makes the story more real. The Bank Job has great drama and action, it's a great movie that I'm really glad I saw, a big recommendation if you're looking for a good movie to watch.

9/10

Burrowing underground

[Chris Knipp · 7/10 · 20 March 2008]

In this serviceable but not extraordinary film based on real events and set in 1971 London, a group of amateurs pull off a bank robbery that goes wrong in a lot of interesting ways. Prompted by an ex-model former girlfriend named Martine (Saffron Burrows), Terry (Jason Statham) recruits a group of friends to tunnel into the safety deposit vault of a Lloyd's Bank on Baker Street. The alarms at this particular branch are temporarily off for adjustment of a new system, just as Martine told Terry they would be. The metal drawers hold millions in jewelry and cash. Things seem pretty dicey more than once during the ambitious robbery, but the crew does succeed in taking away the loot.

It's not the robbery that matters, though, but the complications arising from the fact that in the drawers besides money and diamonds there are a lot of dirty secrets (the phrase "Pandora's box" is even used). The madam of a fancy brothel has stashed photos of high level gents and ladies doing all sorts of naughty things at her establishment. Another box contains records of a Soho porn czar's payoffs to a corrupt police officer. And still another has scandalous snapshots belonging to the sleazy slumlord and fake black radical, Michael X (Peter De Jersey), kept to blackmail the government. These include photos of an adulterous royal, Princess Margaret, and it's the need to conceal her scallywaggery that's prompted a boss at MI5 named Everett (Richard Lintern), who's been dating Martine, to set off the whole caper, calling on her because she's said she knows some "villains." She must comply, because he's gotten her off a drug-running charge.

The Bank Job has a retro feel; unfortunately a mid-level director like Donaldson can't really compete with the best of the old heist flicks this one resembles in its more mechanical aspects. For instance, a foreign expert is brought in, and he gives a demonstration in a basement, much like Cesar le Milanais in Jules Dassin's Rififi--but the memory is devastating, because this movie is nowhere near as fresh and suspenseful and atmospheric as that Fifties gem. Of course this isn't meant to be taken quite that seriously--though it isn't meant to be farce either; it's too involved in its reinvention of real events for that. There's a successful effort to make the accents and lingo authentic, and the grungy images achieved by cinematographer Michael Coulter and intrusive music (by various hands) sort of evoke the Seventies. Unfortunately in all the complicated stuff that happens, this movie forgets what it wants its tone to be. Sometimes it's light and funny, sometimes it's just factual and hurried, and when the cohorts get tortured by the nasties, it's pretty grim.

The subplots of the parliamentarians and the MI5, crooked cops and porn dealer Vogel (David Suchet), Terry's straight family life with two girls and wife Wendy (Keeley Hawes), at times seem overly complicated, but the movie would collapse without them, and film editor John Gilbert deserves credit for keeping things energetic and flowing by shifting scenes in ways that make this machine seem to be running on all four cylinders. The writing of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, an experienced pair with some admirable credits, can't be faulted from page to page; but they're trying to weave in too much material. There's another subplot of a ham radio operator who by chance intercepts the robbers' walkie-talkie communications between Terry and his rooftop lookout Eddie (Michael Jibson). All things considered it's surprising all this stuff flows as well as it does. Lively English acting helps here to make the various groups of characters, especially Terry's team, not hard to keep track of. Jason Statham stands out, with his big face, short hair, and perpetual three-day's growth of beard. That may not be a very Seventies look (and indeed the Seventies are sometimes forgotten in the film), but he has an intensity that makes his character feel stronger and more authentic than even the most able of the other cast members; it's his film, and that's another thing that helps save The Bank Job from becoming totally mediocre. It has a strong center.

The ham radio interception gave the robbery its press name, "the walkie-talkie bank job." The police still couldn't pinpoint which bank the voices were coming from, but they broadcast tapes of them on commercial radio the next day seeking identifications. The job was done on Sunday, and Monday morning of course Lloyd's employees find out which bank was robbed soon enough. Several of the robbers come to grief when captured by the crooked cop and his porn associate, but four days after the robbery the government issues a a D notice, forbidding any further press coverage in the interests of national security, and the other fledgling thieves slip away, with mutual wink-winks and a turnover of all the incriminating materials to authorities. A majority of the box holders did not report their losses, end titles say, so by implication they were all up to skulduggery; even the money was largely dirty. Oh, those naughty Seventies.

That'll go nicely with a plate of chips

[Zentaurion · 10/10 · 25 March 2008]

Film-making at it's finest.

Nothing loud and boisterous. No over-stylized cinematography, pointless set-pieces, cheesy dialogue, or over-flowing emotions.

A perfect example of why the finest movie-making talent in Hollywood is British. And possibly the best caper movie of recent times.

Had this been from Hollywood, every fine detail of the complex subtext in the story would have been blown apart. Instead, everything is under-played, the characters are superbly realistic and believable, and the script sharp as a pin. And the cast is a brilliant ensemble.

Worth many repeated viewings for the subtle humour and to get the most out of the twisting plot developements.

Enjoyable, if a little thin on the ground on looks and feeling.

[MAXMILLAIN · 7/10 · 26 February 2008]

Saw an advance screening of this 'True' British crime story last night. True is in inverted commas as apparently the basic facts are true but of course most of the story comes from the minds of the two writers that penned it.

Its an enjoyable film, good story, production wise nothing special; could be a made for TV movie, there wasn't much action surprisingly and the jokes were thin on the ground; a snatch copy it 'aint.

Good performance from Jason Stratham in his best screwed up, looking menacing while surprised face. Good supporting cast with many faces you will recognise (spot the Eastender) apart from a terrible performance from Stephen Campbell Moore who looked like he was on a comedy show. Thought it could have maybe done with a bit more music from the 70's, Just to cement home the era a bit more.

I wouldn't bother spending money going to see this at the cinema, unless maybe its Orange Wednesday 2-4-1, more suited to a DVD viewing or wait till it hits Film Four in a year or two.

Enjoyable, better than average British film, but no Oscars coming its way.

The Best Heist Movie In Years

[Harbinger70 · 10/10 · 9 March 2008]

I expected this movie to be somewhat entertaining, and maybe a bit cheesy. After all, it's not difficult to muck up a heist movie. However, this film gets it all right. The acting is top notch, the story is not only engaging and clever but TRUE (!), and the experience of seeing it is thoroughly enjoyable.

The only complaints I have of the film are that the characters do get a little cheeky from time to time (but hey, they're British, so it's kind of expected), and there's a couple flashbacks/lapses in time that are initially confusing - although everything is clearly laid out about halfway through. Want to see a good movie? Check this one out!

Slight error early in the film.

[stephen-batty · 7/10 · 12 February 2008]

The film lives up to the posters on the underground a little sex, plenty of violence but it feels very true to the 70's, as I can remember the 1970's in London.

The plot is interesting, funny in places and raises a lot of questions to which, we are very unlikely to get answers to in my lifetime! Can a government really behave in this fashion? My guess would be yes it can, as I am sure a lot of things happen of which, we are blissfully unaware! For those who remember "The Sweeny" on TV, I found the style quite similar.

It is a good film but as it is a "British" film, you think they would know that Pinky and Perky were puppets and not cartoon pigs!

Heist Films Are Usually Entertaining, And This Is No Exception

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 14 August 2008]

Jason Statham is well on his way to becoming typecast. It seems like he's in a ton of these kind of action films lately, although this movie is a bit more subdued and complicated than some of them. At least in this heist flick, there are several twists and turns and you have to stay alert to follow who is exactly on the up-and-up and who isn't, and Statham isn't punching out 10 people at once.

This is another one of these modern-day films in which the crooks, the thieves, the bandits - whatever - are the "good guys" and the police and the government officials are the bad guys. This seems to be a big favorite of the anti-authority filmmakers world in the last 40 years whether it's in Hollywood or London. Regardless, it's a very entertaining film and Statham and company are fun to watch. That's also nothing new as the tough "Transporter" star has become a regular at playing these kind of nice guy/macho/thug roles.

Statham plays "Terry Leather," a man recruited by a former hottie/model girlfriend "Martine Love," (Saffron Burrows) to rob a bank. Statham is a family man but desperate for money and, obviously, not very honest. Thousands of pounds/dollars is in it for the thieves but valuable compromising sex photos are the real goal of the people who want the bank depository drawers robbed. Those want to be grabbed before the owner uses them and ruins some high uppity-ups in British government. Several people wants photos for other reasons. This whole thing isn't simple; there are number of sub-plots along the way regarding who wants what in the bank and for what reasons.

There is also a story involving a Malcolm X-wannabe kind of creep who is into extortion and murder. Actually, everyone is pretty much a creep in this film, just to varying degrees. They are all interesting, too, and several of the minor characters have a good sense of humor, too. In particular, I liked Daniel Mays as "Dave Shilling." Add some very tense robbery scenes, some sex early on, some double-crosses later and you have a very serious Keystone Cops type story where you're never quite sure what crazy thing is going to happen next.

A fun two hours of diversion, supposedly based on a true-life account, but knowing filmmakers I suspect much of this is made up for dramatic purposes. That's okay, we just watch to be entertained, and this is entertaining.

Are you using a Jackhammer?

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 9 March 2008]

Greetings again from the darkness. Based the true story of a bank heist in 1971 London, this is a slick little movie with nothing really new to offer. Long time director Roger Donaldson is known for both fluff such as "Cocktail" and quasi-action films like "The Recruit". His best film is a bio-pic called "The World's Fastest Indian". While this one is not at that level, it is easily watchable, if ultimately a bit empty.

Action star Jason Statham is trying to make the transition to real acting. His short-comings are obvious here in the scenes with his wife. Still, he has definite charisma as an action guy and is at his best in the few high-octane, testosterone-fueled scenes. The weakness of the overall cast is best exemplified by the fact that Saffron Burrows ("Boston Legal") is the second lead in this. She is so awkward in front of the camera that everyone struggles playing off her. The rest of the gang is mediocre at best ... no real standouts.

This one is not as much fun to watch as say "The Italian Job" because it lacks the action of the heist and the fun of planning. Here we get a few shots of some guys digging a tunnel. Most of the action occurs after the heist. The best part is realizing that less than 40 years ago, this job was pulled off by a gang of goofs in a major city like London.

Go in with low expectations and you will find the film somewhat enjoyable.

Purloined

[tedg · 22 September 2008]

There is a good movie in this that was stolen from us, a darn good one I think. It dives into several well defined story areas: the heist film, the con film, the story that is drawn by sex (here in multiple ways). The business about multiple watchers in the noir mold manipulating the situation so it comes down to a battle of the watchers. Dueling photos and records. The cleverness of Brer Rabbit as he escapes once again, here played by someone we expect to have qualities we associate with that character.

But what we get is bits and pieces of five or six probably successful movies. The sexual center around whom all the urges revolve is played by Saffron Burrows, who I think is capable of this. She's done something like this role before. But here she is directed into a shape of mystery that is not natural to her, and she comes off as just another of the women in the story, drifting.

Like so many failed projects, you can watch this with the intent of wondering what you would adjust to make it work. I think I would defer the revealing of the multiple cons and doublecons until later, and have Saffron be simply as alluring as she can be. I would have made less of the Oceans 11 references, and more of the Guy Richie stuff.

Two scores, battling for control. Simple stuff, but this could have been a winner.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

Quite Atrocious

[gerardmartin77 · 1/10 · 27 May 2021]

One of the usually excellent Jason Stathams worst movies . The movie is so unbelievably corny it could almost pass as a comedy . There is however a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it bad acting performance by Saffron Burrows . Honestly you'll be watching a lot of this film through your fingers !

Engaging, and by no means bad

[prbt · 6/10 · 14 February 2008]

I liked the film to start with - bit cheeky, typical London "cops, robbers and gangsters" fare. Then after the heist was done, the tone darkened, uncomfortably so. If it had stayed lighter throughout, I'd have enjoyed it much more.

All the actors were fine (I like the fact that you know what you're getting with Jason Statham - you don't *want* him to come across as 'actorly', you *want* him to play the lovable hard-man), the direction was slick, and the film was never boring. Worth a rental when it comes to DVD.

One last comment: I know it says 'BASED on a true story', but I can't believe more than the bare bones are in any way factual.

Excellent

[zorro2a · 9/10 · 26 February 2008]

I'm old enough to remember this robbery well, and the film does a great credit to a very true story, Jason Statham is Terry a very small time hood with a car lot (like Arthur Daly) who get lured into this bank Job by one time girl friend Martine (Safron Burrows-who l saw in Enigma) she is very beautiful, along with some mates they do the robbery, masterminded by Peter Bowels, a long way from his smooth Richard De Vere days in To The Manor Born, mind you he's still smoothie in this film, also along for the ride is David Suchet as a London Porn King, and Georgia Taylor one of the Battersby girls from Coronation Street. The film moves at a hell of a pace, and slowly builds to a great climax, l don't want to give away any of the plot all l can say is go and see this film, l admit l went to a pre-release night, but l might even go and see it again it's that good, l give it 9 out of 10

Familiar, but a whole lot of fun

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 22 June 2012]

Okay, so heist movies are ten-a-penny at the moment, but that doesn't mean that a decent bank robbery flick that ticks all of the right boxes won't do the job. THE BANK JOB, a supposedly true '70s set story of scandal, corruption and one big score, proves that there's still life in the genre yet: this is a slick and efficient movie with style to spare.

Tough-cookie-with-a-heart Jason Statham plays Terry Leather (what a name!), the owner of a small East End garage who assembles a team to tackle a bank robbery. Said robbery takes up much of the running time as we get involved with the meticulous planning and preparation, but of course you don't have to be a cinemaphile to know that there's going to be hell to pay afterwards.

Things take a decidedly vicious turn with the involvement of a seedy strip club owner (David Suchet, playing against type and excellent with it), and from that point in it's every man for himself. Statham relishes the chance to do more than just hit people, even if he does just end up playing the same old tough-but-decent character he plays in every single movie.

Saffron Burrows, looking exceptionally gorgeous, is a fine addition to the cast and indeed the acting is what this movie's all about. Stephen Campbell Moore and Daniel Mays also do well as gang members, and keep an eye out for Craig Fairbrass playing to type as a particularly nasty East End thug.

The real stars, of course, are writing partners Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who have been doing this thing since the '60s and whose script is so witty, entertaining and well-rounded that it would have been impossible to get it wrong.

A very good British Film

[jkeggen · 8/10 · 14 February 2008]

I also saw this film at an advance screening. I don't normally watch any of the trailers before going, so tend to go in with an open mind. I was very pleasantly surprised, and while it perhaps won't win any Oscars, I thought it was well acted in the main with some faces you'll recognise. It might not have massive appeal outside the UK, however it is a good (based on fact) story. I'm not a massive fan of 70's music, but it wouldn't have done any harm to have a bit more in the background just to give it more of a seventies feel about it. The general mood of the film was good and for me seemed to set the scene well, without going overboard with sex or violence. On the whole, it's well worth a visit, even if you have never lived in that era.

Takes too long to get going

[seawalker · 6/10 · 10 March 2008]

In it's own small way "The Bank Job" attempts the same trick that the writer James Ellroy pulled off so well in his fine novels "American Tabloid" and "The Cold Six Thousand". That is, to weave a connected narrative from matters of public record (the Baker Street Walkie-Talkie heist and subsequent D-Notice, the disgrace of certain Conservative government ministers due to sex scandals and the fall of the criminal Michael X) and public rumour (the indiscretions of Princess Margaret, the involvement of Lord Louis Mountbatten in British intelligence operations and the true extent of police corruption and involvement with certain London based porn barons of the early seventies). It works, kind of. The problem with "The Bank Job" is that it takes too long to get going.

During the first half of "The Bank Job" there is a definite whiff of seen-it-all-before ennui. The job is instigated, the team is assembled, the job is pulled. Pretty unrealistic, so-so, anaemic stuff, frankly, with variable acting. (Whoever told Saffron Burrows that she can do 'cockney'?)

Then suddenly, during the second half, writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais rediscover the form they had when they wrote the brilliant early 70's Richard Burton vehicle "Villain", and "The Bank Job" becomes really entertaining, gritty, seedy, violent, fast moving and complex. Shame it wasn't like that from the start.

Nice, slightly out of character performance by Jason Statham, who only has one real 'hardman' moment. Fun, extended cameos from a galaxy of jobbing British character actors. Peter Bowles, Keeley Hawes and David Suchet, amongst others. See if you can spot Colin Salmon. I didn't even realise he was in the movie until I read the credits.

In retrospect, probably a missed opportunity, and it should have been better, but "The Bank Job" is still worth seeing if you have the patience to stick with it. It does get better as it goes along.

A Great Surprise

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 25 February 2012]

In 1971, the criminal Michael X (Peter De Jersey) blackmails the British government with compromising photos of members of the parliament practicing kinky sex with prostitutes. He keeps the photos in a safe deposit box in the Lloyds Bank in the Baker Street.

The ambitious MI-5 Federal Agent Tim Everett (Richard Lintern) plots a bold plan to retrieve the pictures using a heist of the bank. He arrests the former model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) in the airport trafficking drugs and offers security information to her to facilitate to rob of the bank. In return, he requests the content of the safe box no. 118 that belongs to Michael X.

Martine goes to East London and meets her former lover, the car dealer Terry Leather (Jason Statham) that is married with two daughters but owes money to a dangerous loan shark, and tells him that the bank's alarm will be deactivated during a few days. Terry summons his friends and the team of amateurs succeeds in the heist. However, together with the money, the gang also steels the photos of Michael X; the book with the transactions with dirty cops of the Scotland Yard of the pornographer Lew Vogel (David Suchet); and photos of politicians in the Sonia Bern's brothel. Now different groups organize a manhunt to Terry and his friends with different objectives, where the stolen money is the less important.

"The Bank Job" was the great surprise of this week, with a good story based on true events. I bought this Blu Ray a long time ago but my expectations were very low. However this film is one of the best movies of bank heist that I have ever seen. In the end, the thieves are the most charismatic characters among such corruptors and unethical people. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Efeito Dominó" ("Domino Effect")

Not quite what it could have been...

[ruhi-yaman · 6/10 · 13 April 2008]

The most dangerous lies are those that are based on kernels of truth. This is why I cringe whenever I see the ominous words 'based on a true story' advertising a film. The Bank Job is the fictionalized story of the walkie-talkie robbery that took place in London in 1971. A small team of Cockney lads, existing on the margins of criminal milieu, successfully robbed the safety box vault of a posh branch of Lloyd's Bank and, on the face of it, got away with most of the proceeds. The film uses some of the facts (the crew was indeed spotted by a ham radio operator, only a handful of safety box owners made any claims) and lots of gossip (the rumour was that one of the safety boxes contained naughty exploits of a royal princess, another implicated a cross-dressing Lord Mountbatten) , then adds some of its own inventions: MI5, or was it MI6, staged the whole operation to recover the pictures and there was also a ledger detailing payoffs to crooked police by a porn king (David Suchet, unfairly looking like the late Ronnie Corbett). Jason Statham, as Terry the leader of the crew, does his Jason Statham act and the rest of the cast turns up to give reliable performances. The whole film works in its contrived and rushed way, but it is much less than what it should have been. The look of the film tries to emulate the 1970s heist flicks but the director (Roger Donaldson) is not sure whether he wants to make a Boulting Brothers style heist romp or a more grungy Brit gangster film. Light-hearted scenes suddenly give way to brutal torture of likable characters, farcical asides lead to serious exchanges. The look of the film, although generally true to the era, sometimes appears sloppy or rushed (underground signs, for example, look distractingly modern).

It is an old-fashioned script with an old-fashioned structure. The use of real names for dead characters, with all the implications on their reputation and on their families, is a nasty element in the film, considering that it is largely based on gossip and innuendo, and it sits uncomfortably with the would-be comedy of bumbling crooks, spooks and coppers.

Truly a great heist movie, the Brits really can act.

[Deveousdevil · 10/10 · 24 April 2008]

This will be one of the best heist movie's you see in years. This movie is full of intense action and great wit. You will literally be at the edge of your seat up to the last minute, wondering if someone is either going to get killed or is someone going to get away. It is full of realistic drama, action, ultimatums, conspiracy and lust. At times it gets kind of scary and your heart will beat faster simply from the music. It is based on true story with a few additions of its own. The movie is put together absolutely perfectly.

The movie is neither too long to the point it bores you and kills the story nor too short to where you don't know the outcome. Everything in the movie is timed perfectly and is played step by step. Everything makes sense which although eliminates some surprises, those surprises are hardly needed and are so obsolete that you won't even care nor realize.

Overall the movie is "jolly good". British actors are really much better than American ones. All the emotions seem real and at a few points you'll feel just like the characters, which is great in any movie because it simply makes it more real. One more thing, this movie isn't for the faint of heart, there are a few scenes that are very graphic and gruesome, and a few scenes that should be in a rated "X" movie. Of course this doesn't do anything to the movie except add even more realism too it. This is just extra knowledge for those who may feel uncomfortable or squeamish in such scenes. Otherwise, this movie is a must to watch because it may very well be a classic.

Decent yet predictable caper flick; Donaldson returns to form & Burrows & Statham excel

[george.schmidt · 7/10 · 20 March 2008]

THE BANK JOB (2008) **1/2 Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, James Faulkner, Alki David, Michael Jibson, Georgia Taylor, Richard Lintern, Peter Bowles, Alistair Petrie, Hattie Morahan, David Suchet, Peter De Jersey. Decent yet predictable caper flick based on the real-life UK heist circa 1971 where a small group of associates knock off more than they can chew involving a Royal Scandal in the making. Director Roger Donaldson is back in form with the deliberately paced yet entertaining genre flick that actually gains momentum in its third act and Statham proves to be the British Bruce Willis with his street-smart charms while Burrows sizzles.

The Bank Job

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 4 May 2011]

I might have heard the title somewhere recently, and I may have heard about the lead actor, and it was pretty obvious from the title what the plot would involve, so I watched, from director Roger Donaldson (Dante's Peak, The World's Fastest Indian). Based on a true story, London car dealer and artful dodger Terry Leather (Jason Statham) is having slow business so former model who has a thing for him Martine Love (Deep Blue Sea's Saffron Burrows) makes him an offer. There is a bank on Baker Street that will have its alarms turned off for a couple of weeks, and the plan is to tunnel underneath two buildings opposite to get into the vault and take what's inside. So a team is assembled to carry out the plan, including photographer Kevin Swain (Stephen Campbell Moore), occasional pornographic actor Dave Shilling (Plus One's Daniel Mays), posh conman 'Major' Guy Singer (Bridget Jones's James Faulkner) and mechanic Bambas (Alki David). Inside Guy's gentlemen's clothes shop two doors away the tunnelling begins, obviously there are complaints about the noise from the neighbours due to the loud underground drilling. There is a point while doing this however that the floor caves in while in the tunnel, and that is when they find an underground site full of skeletons, and this makes for an easier passage to the branch of Lloyds. They manage to tunnel into the bank vault while one of them keeps an eye on the street above for any police, and they find many safe deposit boxes full of jewels and cash, as well as one with incriminating photos of a royal having sex with various men. There is a point when it looks like they will be caught in the act by police, as they are using walkie talkies that are being listened to, but they manage to get away with it, and that is when they find out the truth about the robbery. Martine made them rob the bank so that they would bring out the safe deposit box with the photos, that a Trinadadian thug, a high-end bordello owner and pornographer are involved with, to trade for avoiding a prison sentence. Guy and Bambas escaped with their share of the bank vault loot, but they are murdered by unknown persons, and the most threatening person wanting the photos seems to be Soho gangster Lew Vogel (Poirot's David Suchet), who kills Dave and kidnaps friend Eddie Burton (Michael Jibson). In the end Vogel and his criminal cohorts are arrested, Martine says goodbye and the gang members go their separate ways, and Terry is seen with his wife and kids living carefree on a yacht in paradise, the end text says that parts of the robbery investigation still haven't been concluded. Also starring Keeley Hawes as Wendy Leather, Craig Fairbrass as Nick Barton, Colin Salmon as Hakim Jamal, Peter Bowles as Miles Urquart, Peter De Jersey as Michael X, Georgia Taylor as Ingrid Burton, Richard Lintern as Tim Everett, Hattie Morahan as Gale Benson, Rupert Frazer as Lord Drysdale, Gerard Horan as Detective Sergeant Roy Given and Sharon Maughan as Sonia Bern. Statham is less thuggish than usual which makes a difference, the supporting actors get their time too, especially Suchet who is quite sinister in moments, it is an easy to follow story, and if you like caper film then this is reasonable entertainment, alright heist thriller based on a true story. Worth watching!

A good-old caper film

[fredrikgunerius · 7/10 · 18 October 2023]

The Bank Job is a good-old caper film both in narrative and execution, made by filmmakers who were trying to recapture not only the aura and atmosphere of the 1970s London, but also to a large degree the production values and tone of classical narrative films of the said period. And the result is a tight, entertaining and to a large degree stimulating film with enough strings to pull and a decent knowledge of how and when to pull them. The direction by seasoned filmmaker Roger Donaldson is dependable, and the large cast of characters work well to drive the narrative forward as if the film was a high-scale BBC production. Despite an alleged royal scandal, some clever twists and an insipid love triangle, The Bank Job will probably not stay with you for very long, but it delivers on what it promises while it's there.