The Bank Job review
Once I got over the ridiculous price rise of movie tickets, I really enjoyed The Bank Job.
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It’s based on actual events of one of the biggest bank heists in London which occurred in 1971. While the press went crazy for a few days about the case, they were silenced with a D-notice apparently due to some material that could hurt the authorities.
Jason Statham is at the nucleus of the film as he gathers together his petty criminal mates to do the job that will be his ticket out of selling used cars but which turns out to be a scam by the secret service to recover compromising pictures of a certain royal.
The film drums up the suspense beautifully and the plotline is crafted with just enough twists and turns to keep it interesting but not overly complex. Each character is developed surprisingly well and you really do feel for these fairly innocent criminals who have bitten off more than they could chew. Jason Statham may be a little type-cast as the mischievous cockney geezer but he is just so watchable with that husky voice.
While I had read reviews beforehand, for anyone who hadn’t it would be impossible to know from watching the film that it was based on actual events, a fact that always makes these kinds of films ten times more compelling. I think particularly when considering the research that went into the film, this would have been a valuable addition. However, as the SMH reviewer notes, it is difficult to separate the fact and the fiction.
Apart from this, my only major criticism would be the horribly unnecessary romantic sub-plot and sexual tension between Terry (Statham) and Marlene (Saffron Burrows).
He’s mine, back off!
