Movie Review: The Bank Job

By Citizen Correspondent Robert Waldman

Date Posted: 03/10/08

Reader Rating:

Turn back the hands of time and director Roger Donaldson (Dante’s Peak) gets off in the early 70s. Those heady days saw the remnants of the sexual revolution unfold in living colour as promiscuity seemed to be everywhere. So in tune were the powers that be that an apparent scandal of sorts reached into the highest echelons of political power.

Left to sort out the mess in this cloak and dagger tale are the usual suspects at MI5 and a low level crook just out to make an “honest” buck. Only for Terry Leather trouble big time arrived at his doorstep with an offer he just couldn’t refuse.

Thanks to the big time plans of sexy model Martine Love the die is cast for this garage owner with a checkered past to participate in a cocky scheme to rob a bank. Just what’s at stake when this gang of amateur crooks begins their planning goes completely off the radar as Terry and co. mount an unprecedented raid on a British financial institution.

From there things get even crazier as more criminals become embroiled in this hunt for all those pounds sterling and whatever else Lloyd’s Bank at 185 Baker Street has hidden away. Cracks appear throughout the “routine” theft as double crosses and more differences of opinion begin to rather “complicate” the already unbelievable situation.

Here a perfect recapturing of the swinging British scene during 1971 meshes well with the flawless work of the crooks on the loose in this fun-filled 113 minute romp that will have audiences wanting more.

Action star Jason Statham (The Transporter) certainly enlivens this story as a simple family man seduced by fortune who gets roped into this seemingly average heist. Aided and abetted by sexy Martine Love, seductively portrayed by Saffron Burrows (Troy) the suspense and tension never lets up in this story.