Movie Review: The Bank

Story: Math is sexy and revenge is sweet! If you find these two ideas intriguing, then run to your local cinema (if you can find this film playing in your neighborhood) to catch this sleek, fast faced Australian film, directed and written by Robert Connelly. It was up against Moulin Rouge and Lantana for the Aussie version of the Oscar and walked away with an award for best original screenplay. It certainly deserved that, and more.

Jim Doyle, a computer wizard, has developed a program that can predict the stock market's course. Greed, good and evil, revenge and fractal geometry have big parts in this fascinating, beautifully filmed work. There are some great lines, interesting concepts and plot twists. All together the combination makes for a winning cinema treat. If you have a gripe against your own bank (who doesn't)? I think you might enjoy this film a little more than most. Go, you'll feel a little better!

Acting: Terrific performances by a team of very talented Australian actors (more on this topic below) including, Anthony LaPaglia and David Wenham.

Critters: None.

Food: Math apparently does not make one hungry. There wasn't any food featured.

Visual Art: Some rich abstract paintings and exceptional camera angles add to the geometric story line.

Blatant Product Placement: IBM

Opening Titles: Fascinating computer graphics that introduce us to the beauty of math.

Theater Audience: A Spartan crew of slide rule types.

Quirky Meter: 2

Predictability Level: I did not really know what was going to happen until very close to the end.

Oscar Worthy: It was Aussie worthy, so why not Oscar worthy.

Nit Picking: No nits in fractal geometry. Perhaps there are nits in the Chaos Theory?

Big Screen or Rental: The Australians are Coming! The Australians are coming! There is an invasion of Australian actors who have crossed over to Hollywood. Some hide their accents, some come clean. Thought you might like to see a partial list of Australians in the entertainment field. Is there something in the water over there that creates such a talented group? Simon Baker, Tushka Bergen, Claudia Black, Cate Blanchett, Bryan Brown, Gia Carides, Toni Collette, Adam Couper, Russell Crowe, Cameron Daddo, Kimberley Davies, Gosia Dobrowloska, Judy Davis, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, Colin Friels, Marcus Graham, Rachel Griffiths, Paul Hogan, Christa Hughes, Nicole Kidman, Anthony LaPaglia, Jonathan LaPaglia, Daniel Lapaine, Heath Ledger, Elle Macpherson, Costas Mandylor, Jacqueline McKenzie, Julian McMahon, Paul Mercurio, Radha Mitchell, Frances O'Connor, Corey Page, Guy Pearce, Philip Quast, Ingo Rademacher, Rebecca Rigg, Richard Roxburgh, Geoffrey Rush, Anthony Simcoe, Jaason Simmons, Noah Taylor, Jack Thompson, Kylie Travis, Naomi Watts, Hugo Weaving, David Wenham, Peta Wilson, Sarah Wynter, Aden Young, Nina Young.

Length: 100 minutes.

LOBO HOWLS: 8