Review of The Bank Job (2008) by Chads. — 09 Mar 2008

"The Bank Job" differs from other bank heist pictures in one crucial way; instead of money, these thieves ransack people's safety deposit boxes. Money is so impersonal, it almost feels like a victimless crime.

But a personal message scribbled on some woman's panties were not meant for random inspection. Bottles of vintage wine are uncorked like they were soft drink tabs. We all want to be filthy rich, but not like this.

These aren't your suave and debonair bank robbers from "Ocean's Eleven". They're basically good, these English lads(and a bird), but Terry(Jason Statham) is boffing Marinte(Saffron Burrows), and one guy used to be the stud(not just the fluffer like the guy from "Love, Actually") in raincoat cinema(the producer looks like Martin Scorsese).

To put it simply, an American audience won't identify with these crooks. Unlike, say, Joel and Ethan Coen's "The Ladykillers", we can better see that a crime is being committed. The objective differs in "The Bank Job"; the robbery isn't simply about accruing wealth.

When Martine comes to Terry with her plan, getting rich is just a smokescreen to her real agenda. More complex than your average heist pic, things really start to heat up in "The Bank Job" after the hooligans leave bank premises.

Unlike "Ocean's Eleven", or any number of bank heist movies, we don't live vicariously through these people because their booty is too damn hot. We want to be rich. Not die.