"The Bank Job" is inspired by an extraordinary true event, a daring, unsolved robbery, which took place more than 35 years ago in London.
All in all The Bank job is an enjoyable film which works well on many levels. It is pretty much a mans film but isn't violent enough to put off women who will be attracted to the story and the scandal as it is based on a true story.
Poor princess Margaret; she always got a raw deal in life, and nothing seems to have changed, probably because its alleged her sister / reigning monarch is, in reality, an irredeemably deranged, Annukai neo-Nazi reptilian Satanist with known homicidal tendencies. Rodger Donaldson's watchable, 70s set crime caper puts the sexier seed of Saxe Coburg Gotha in the frame; part of an unsolved, labyrinthine conspiracy culled from facts surrounding 'The Baker Street Lloyds Bank Robbery' a.k.a. 'The Walkie Talkie Robby' which took place in 1971. Now its established that MI5 instigated a cover up via a government D-notice which censored media coverage of the crime, its further implied said notice was issued as the robbers got away with a cache of compromising Royal photos, stashed along with all the dirty loot locked in Lloyd's vault by dubious members of the British bourgeoisie / criminal fraternity. Hard up used car salesman Terry Leather (Jason Statham) is reluctantly recruited by sultry ex; Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) to lead a motley crew of break-in artists and relieve the bank of its holdings. Now since I've seen every Jason Statham film since 'Lock, Stock...' (yes, I even sat aghast at his so-bad-its-legendary American accent in 'The One') its fair to say that I like him; not like as in we hold hands and go for long walks on the beach, but like as in he's a cool bloke. For though Jason's not the best actor in the world, far form it in fact, Statham delivers dialogue in such a naturally humorous, occasionally menacing, manner that you can't imagine anyone else in that role. And though Statham's the walking definition of a one-trick pony, it all seems to gel together in the genres he's worked in so far. Leading lady Saffron Burrows, an underrated actress in the grand scheme of things, plays Martine in much the same way as she did cockney sparra Karen Mayes in Paul McGuigan's superlative 'Gangster No. 1' and Saffron works well with an eclectic ensemble cast, which also includes David Suchet as Lew Vogel; an aggressive sleaze merchant whose a combination of Arthur Rothstein and fictional mobster Harry Shand. Award winning cinematographer, and a regular on most Richard Curtis projects, Michael Coulter evokes the period well; with murky, claret reds and musky interiors underneath the bank and in porn baron Vogel's bordello, in fact, some of 'The Bank Job's' best scenes will remind you of Peter Sova's sterling work on 'Gangster No. 1' and 'Lucky Number Slevin'. By no means a classic, 'Bank Job' probably won't appeal to fans of the serious, technical heist thriller (e.g. 'Riffi', 'The Asphalt Jungle', 'The Score' etc) nor will it rival 'The Ocean's...' trilogy for razzle dazzle em' glamour, and yet 'The Bank Job' aspires, albeit never that successfully, to emulate an Ealing comedy, often attempting to recreate the feel of easy going, classic heist pictures like 'The Lavender Hill Mob' or 'The Ladykillers'. And thus retains a low-key appeal with some good one liners, decent characterisation an amusing visual nod to 'The Italian Job' not to mention a variation on the old 'Dad's Army' "don't tell him your name, Pike" gag. A well-cast, competently directed, fairly entertaining movie that rolls along at a good pace, though scandalous twists and turns severely limit any repeat viewing potential. Worth watching once. Job done.
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Thriller based on the true story of a 1971 London bank robbery that baffled the authorities and captivated the public. Jason Statham stars as Terry Leather, a former crooked car salesman who wants to put his shady past behind him and start a family. But when Terry's old neighbour, Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), proposes a foolproof plan to rob a Baker Street bank, Terry reluctantly agrees to come on board. As the operation gets underway, the resourceful group of thieves tunnel their way into a safe-deposit vault at the Lloyds Bank in Marylebone where they discover millions of pounds worth of cash and priceless gems. However, Terry and his crew don't realise the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal that spans London's criminal underworld, the British government, and even the Royal Family.
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