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| Movie Review: The Bank Job Alternate Title: Pandora's (Safe Deposit) Box
Story: A plotline that include
murder, sex and corruption in high places has my name written all over
it. The film incriminates high-ranking police officers, the secret service,
politicians and a prominent member of the royal family. It can't get
much juicier than that. Throw in some drug dealers, pimps, porn stars
and Black Power activists and you have one hell of a story. Director
Roger Donaldson with a screenplay by Dick Clement
& Ian Lafrenais weave an entertaining multi-layered
tale based on London's 1971 Baker Street bank robbery. The premise is the real motivation for the robbery was that the Government
was protecting the Royals because some incriminating photos of Princess
Margaret were allegedly in a safe deposit box in that bank. An undisciplined
band of street thugs and cons agrees to pull off the heist. The usually
easy to follow bank caper becomes intricate when it appears that so
many secrets are kept in these safe deposit boxes - all hell breaks
loose when the robbery is discovered. All of the characters are full-bodied and developed which is refreshingly
new for a film of this genre. Be warned that the film does turn surprisingly
dark towards the end. No money was ever recovered during the investigation,
and no suspects were ever arrested. The real story is that it was one
of the biggest heists in the UK and how a strict code of secrecy was
enforced on all information related to the crime and the investigation.
It seems as soon as the CIA, FBI, M5 or KGB get involved in a story
the details get covered up. Sound familiar? Acting: The entire cast was terrific including: Jason
Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, James
Faulkner, Alki David, Michael Jibson, Richard Lintern, Keeley Hawes,
David Suchet Critters: None
Food: Take out chicken
Sex Spectrum: The opening shot is a blurry scene of
an orgy taking place on a Caribbean Island. There are also some 'G'
rated scenes from a brothel and a strip club.
Blatant Product Placement: VISA
Soundtrack: Some oldies, yet goodies from the 60's
and 70's.
Opening Titles: The title appears after the blurry
orgy scene. All credits at the end.
Visual Art: 1970's London is depicted nicely.
Theater Audience: 10 guys and me.
Weather: The weather was lovely.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: There are some squirmy moments towards
the end.
Drift Factor: I paid attention throughout.
Predictability Level: I was not sure what was going
to happen.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: Rental would be fine.
Length: Under two hours.
LOBO HOWLS: 7 |