An unenthusiastic recommendation…
Going in to this film, two aspects of “The Bank Job” were grave causes for concern. 1. It stars Jason Statham. 2. It is yet another in long line of recent British gangster flicks.
Statham is not without charisma. I fully understand why directors are hiring him. However, his filmography ranks as one of the worst on current record. Abysmal films abound — “Crank”, “Revolver”, “London” etc. Only a handful of his movies have even approached mediocrity. Most of them are mired in critics’ Worst 10 Lists from the past half decade.
As for British gangster flicks… How many more do we need or want? They seem to churn out three or four duds a year in this tired genre. I haven’t yet mentioned my oft repeated complaint that the notion of a British “Hard Man” is somewhat “oxymoronic”.
Nevertheless, “The Bank Job” had a few things going for it. The film is based on a true story — one that had been rumored but shrouded in mystery since the early seventies. That inherent drama lends intrigue to this speculative piece of history.
It also co-stars Saffron Burrows — a benefit to any production she is involved with. Burrows may be the most elegant woman in movies and television these days and I was happy to see her in this very masculine line-up.
The film also promises and delivers political intrigue, illicit scandal and hints of double-crossing espionage. It all felt like a more layered gangster plot than we are usually provided.
The film tells us of an elaborate bank heist that takes place on Baker Street in the center of London. It is a tunnel job that leads right to the vault — a vault whose alarms have been turned off due to the nearby subway vibrations that unintentionally trigger the system.
One strange decision the film makes is to dispose with much of the planning phase — usually the most interesting part of a heist movie. Instead we dig right in to the theft itself.
There are a few disturbingly illogical decisions made by the heist team — most notably the idea that, once into the vault, they would take a couple of hours to get some rest. Surely a dumb move. They also seem to have neglected to come up with a code to use when blabbing about the robbery over their walkie-talkies.
The political scandal involves some sensitive photographs and a vital document also located in the vault. It is this awkward inconvenience that comprises the final third of the film. Who wants the information? Who has the information? Who is willing to risk what in order to either expose the secrets or keep them hidden from the public.
I have to concede that the film is a minor success. It certainly moves briskly from credits to credits. Statham doesn’t try as hard as he usually does to act simultaneously tough and cool. It is his most restrained and accomplished effort to date — although that isn’t saying much.
The screenplay is also laudable, weaving a complex story that has us piecing together various aspects, motivations and characters. Most films in this genre are pretty simplistic. However, “The Bank Job” keeps audiences on their toes.
I am going to give this movie a passing grade without going overboard with any degree of enthusiasm. “The Bank Job” will not inspire too many repeat viewings. Rather, it works as decent diversion and restores a smidgen of faith in this overworked genre.
