The Bank Job Reviews

• ...The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Guilty

  
  By A28OB1QLXN5BM6 on 2008-07-23
  Set in London in the early 1970s, THE BANK JOB is based on real life events. A group of would be criminals is set up by MI5 (or 6, no one can keep them straight) to rob a bank and regain compromising photos of a royal personage. Unfortunately for our gang, not only were the photos in question (which were the "property" of corrupt revolutionary Michael X) kept in a safe deposit box at this bank, but so were the secrets and lies of many famous and infamous people, including the payola ledgers of a porn kingpin and the photo files of a well-placed local madam. Everybody who was anybody, from the cops on the beat up to the Lords of the Realm, was implicated in some scandal by the evidence from this notorious bank robbery.
  
  THE BANK JOB is a fun, exciting, tension-filled romp. These amateur crooks catch more breaks and have more close calls than you would imagine possible. While the film does slightly bog down on occasion, for the most part the pacing builds just the right amount of suspense with these twists and turns of fate. In several places, my heart was actually racing. By the end, our villains are the heroes, and everyone gets what they truly deserve.
  
  I really liked the cinematography of this film. THE BANK JOB actually looks like it was filmed in the 1970s. At one point, I double-checked with my husband to confirm that it was a recent movie. The effect used is very convincing, producing a very authentic look. The ensemble cast was quite good, performing as a cohesive unit, but no individual really standing out.
  
  THE BANK JOB is a great movie for an entertaining evening at home. My husband and I really had a lot of fun. And we got to learn a little history from the 1970s as well.
  
  
  

• The good reviews from critics were right

  
  By A1TW9ZGRDQQZ2Y on 2008-07-17
  I wasn't really interested in The Bank Job until I caught Ebert and Roeper on the tube and heard mucho praise from Richard Roeper, as well as, the guest critic at the time. I wouldn't put this on my top ten of the year list, but it was suspenseful and downright entertaining from start to finish. I'm not the biggest Jason Statham fan, mainly because he always looks and sounds the same in every role, but here he shows a little more range and is quite likeable. Overall, this is a worthy rental that got overlooked by many during it's theatrical run.
  
  

• A refreshing surprise...exciting and thoroughly entertaining!

  
  By A2R1HAXRNU0QX7 on 2008-03-17
  THE BANK JOB is a bit of a throwback to a different kind of crime movie. In this day and age, most heist movies are super high-tech (THE ITALIAN JOB, any of the OCEAN'S movies) and usually an occasion for big name stars to do a little slumming. They may be lots of fun, but they are also sleek and modern. But THE BANK JOB takes place in 1970, and it is a gritty little period piece.
  
  There's no mistaking it for a film actually MADE in 1970. There's too much graphic sex and nudity, the language is too harsh. Also, star Jason Statham's hair isn't what you'd see in the 70s. But it feels very specific to its time and is refreshingly low tech. Jackhammers, shovels, walkie-talkies. It's in a time WAY before computers on every desk and cell phones in every pocket. No internet. No email. Just rotary dial telephones. A time before criminals worried about leaving DNA evidence behind.
  
  It's based on or inspired by the true story of the most lucrative bank robbery in British history (some 4 million pounds). The robbers dug a tunnel underneath a couple of shops and emerged beneath the vault of a branch of Lloyds bank. They opened all the safety deposit boxes and disappeared with a wide and sundry list of items. Apparently, many, many of the box owners declined to tell what items were stolen from them, so the filmmakers have created a rather elaborate scheme involving blackmail, homegrown terrorists, prostitution and miscellaneous indiscretions at the highest levels of government to "explain" why so many folks were too ashamed to admit what they kept stored in the vault. It's a complex little plot, but it is neatly put together and actually fairly fun to follow.
  
  Jason Statham is the nominal leader of a gang of minor criminals who are lured into going for "one big job" by Saffron Burrows, a former school chum who grew up and left their low-class neighborhood to become a model. After a serious brush with the law, she's given a second chance by agreeing to convince her old chums to rob this bank. Easy pickings, she tells them. Of course, she has been directed to recover a specific, highly incendiary packet of photos. Photos that several warring factions want to get, and they'll use just about any means at their disposal to do so.
  
  We've got a wide assortment of bad guys, ranging from simply nasty to murderously insane. Into this brew our group of eager but mostly incompetent robbers are thrown. With a mixture of luck, force of will and some innate, brute cleverness, they muddle their ways through.
  
  I don't want to reveal too many specifics of the plot, because the primary fun of this film IS the plot. The characters are loosely drawn...we just get enough on everyone to stereotype them. The movie is packed with characters, and moves at such a brisk pace that there really isn't time for depth. There are some super tense scenes when a ham radio operator picks up the conversations between the robbers and their lookout...will the cops figure out which bank is being robbed in time? There are lots of unusual touches like that throughout the movie.
  
  THE BANK JOB also features Jason Statham's best performance to date. I realize that might not being saying much. His prior films, whether good or not, didn't exactly thrive on his subtleties as a performer, but rather on his brute persona and fighting skills. In this film, I believe he's finally emerged with a credible, engaging performance. Except for one brief scene at the end, he never is compelled to violence, so he has to rely on his wits and his charm. Both are on display here, so even if the movie isn't a huge hit, I think Statham might start taking on some more juicy work in the future.
  
  This is an adult caper movie. As I hinted, it deserves its R rating. But it sure is a lot of fun, and while it no doubt will be gone soon from the collective memory, it is well worth your time.
  
  

• A Bank Job Goes Wrong for All the Right Reasons!

  
  By A328S9RN3U5M68 on 2008-07-20
  THE BANK JOB is first class entertainment - a well-written script (Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais) with many twists and turns, face paced direction (Roger Donaldson), and a reliable cast of actors who know this genre well. AND it is all based on a true event from 1970 when a bank heist in London resulted in a number of falls of the heads of government who were locking away their 'dirty underwear' in the safety deposit boxes of a quiet bank on Baker Street. A great, unique movie this is not, but it is one that provides close to two hours of complex but highly suspenseful antics that keep the viewer glued to the screen.
  
  Terry Leather (Jason Statham) isn't making it as a car salesman and has debts to pay to the crime world. He meets an old sweetheart Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) who proposes that Terry and his friends rob a bank that is due for security repairs and a fairly surefire safe means to instant wealth. Martine just happens to be working with a fellow who wants some rasty photographs of Princess Margaret in questionable sexual liaisons and has Martine setup the 'easy heist'. Terry and friends agree to the too-good-to-be-true venture and begin to burrow into the bank vault under cover of night and clever means. Once the 'keystone cops' of London arrive on the scene the comedy portion begins, but when Terry, Martine and friends successfully achieve their goal, all manner of complications occur and the ways in which police and governmental corruption color the picture makes for a solid ending. As a fine addendum, the true facts of this actual heist and resulting events are flashed on the screen before the closing credits.
  
  The cast (including such fine actors as Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, Alki David, James Faulkner et al) seems to have a great time with the caper and there is just the right balance between suspense and comedy to make the movie work. And oh the secrets about naughty England we discover! Grady Harp, July 08
  
  

• Somewhat raw British version

  
  By A126KX6FVI4T66 on 2008-04-29
  Not a shoot 'em up action film like an American film might be,
  this has high class/ low class London meeting over
  some very dirty secrets in a bank vault.
  It seems to be a European version version where R rating borders on X.
  It has humor and torture among all the sex and nudity,
  but is well filmed and the acting is mostly pretty good as well
  ( better than Hollywood's norm these days at least!)
  I just don't like the level of dirt involved here.
  
  
• Good one........
  By A328547P5BGZC on 2008-07-21
  Think "Snatch" & "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"!
  
  Good movie, Jason Statham rarely disappoints and doesn't once again in "The Bank Job"!
  
  I wasn't sure about this movie, the preview looked good, several sketchy reviews said otherwise. As usual, the big time, well known reviewers were wrong!
  
  The movie keeps you guessing with twists and turns, best yet, it was apparently written about the actual 1971 true-life robbery of a bank in Baker Street, London, from which the money and valuables stolen were never recovered.
  
  Don't miss out on "The Bank Job"!
  
  
• A Surprisingly Fresh Take On A Classic Heist Formula
  By A1E9QU27DMFRGS on 2008-07-15
  If you've seen any of Jason Statham's past films than you've effectively seen his newest DVD release: The Bank Job. More The Italian Job than Crank, though, The Bank Job is action packed, but it, too, is not simply a "shoot-em-up" popcorn flick; much thought goes into who the men and women on-screen are and what their motivations are for getting into the line of work that they do. Full of mind games (between characters and with the audience) and twists involving the sordid sexual histories of important government power players, The Bank Job is flashy and sensational in a way that screams Hollywood formula... and yet it was based on actual evens.
  
  Directed by Roger Donaldson, The Bank Job attempts an intricate look at the elaborate layers of covert deceit that supposedly went into the United Kingdom's greatest bank robbery of all time. By all accounts, Statham's Terry Leather-- a man in over his head with some very bad people who gets hired to rob a safety deposit box and unknowingly stumbles onto some compromising photos of members of the royal family--should be a sexy character. He (partially just due to Statham's bright eyes and wry smile) is somehow soft and gentle (at least by comparisons to some of Statham's earlier work) as the family man who just got in over his head and is now forced into a new way of life. He flits between puppy dog eyes and suave masculinity, offering subtle hints of the rough and tumble bad guy persona for which women (and okay, a few men) everywhere have fallen.
  
  The Bank Job tries desperately to be a cool and sexy film, and in most areas it does succeed. Donaldson and his Cinematographer, Michael Coulter, captured the essence of the 1970s with everything from shot design to color schemes to focusing on the wardrobe and scenery, all which screamed "period piece." In keeping with the thematic emphasis of showcasing new media and technology, The Bank Job was shot in HD, which gives its images a crisp, clear view of a somewhat hazy world: on one hand, Leather is a petty criminal, committing a serious offense, but on the other, he is taking down those far worse than he, and he is doing it for all the right reasons. Most importantly, though, The Bank Job makes the audience yearn to be apart of its world, even when its seedy: you want to live in that era, and you want to be in Leather's company.
  
  The use of "cutting edge" technology in The Bank Job should also be something about which to get excited: deemed the "Walkie Talkie Robbery" of 1971, the star of the event is really the ham radio that picks up their own radio signals and clues in the police force. Unfortunately Donaldson does often choose to linger instead on the extremely literal depictions of what's sexy on screen: a topless woman swimming in the ocean, for example, which is an image that opens the film, as well as his female lead, Saffron Burrows, as the temptress who propositions Leather with the job offer. At times the film is a bit gratuitous. Though each crew member (from Stephen Campbell Moore to James Faulkner) has their own back story which manages to get semi-fleshed out, as a whole The Bank Job follow Leather's journey, and therefore his friends fall by the wayside a little bit, getting somewhat lost in the in the stereotypical traps of fictionalizing a real life drama into an action flick.
  
  The two-disc version of The Bank Job on DVD includes a commentary by Donaldson, Burrows, and Composer J. Peter Robinson, which isn't half bad if you can get past the fact that the film's star is noticeably absent from the recording session. There are the obligatory deleted scenes, all which total out at under ten minutes and don't offer anything that isn't already depicted in the film in a more succinct way, making it pretty obvious why these were left on the proverbial cutting room floor. The standard behind-the-scenes featurette this time is "Inside The Bank Job," which is just as straight forward as it sounds but does offer some insight into the project past simple reminiscence or fluffy hype. However, "The Baker Street Bank Raid" is hands-down the most interesting "extra:" a featurette for those who are interested in true crime, in addition to cinema's depiction of such events, as it focuses on historical footage and interviews from the 1970s, cutting back and forth between the real life bank robbery and how it was depicted in the film. The only special feature on the second disc is a digital copy of the film, making the extra few dollars you will spend on that version entirely superfluous.
  
  
  
• When you open Pandora's box, you just never know what you'll find in it
  By A1N134HXXST079 on 2008-07-20
  Set in the swinging London of 1971, "The Bank Job" is a riotously fun heist film that's loosely based on actual events. Known then as the "walkie-talkie bank job," it was the biggest bank robbery of its time and probably the most controversial. Apparently, the loot from this heist did not consist merely of cash and jewels, but some rather more important documents that could embarrass the royal family.
  
  The heist is prompted, really, by the British government's inability to incarcerate a criminal slumlord and pimp, Michael Abdul Malik, known as Michael X (Peter De Jersey). A self-styled gadfly and pseudo-Black-Panther wannabe from Trinidad, he holds a get-out-of-jail card in the form of photographs he'd taken earlier of a Very Improper Personage (later to surface as Princess Margaret) in very compromising...uh...positions with lovers during an island escapade. These photos are kept in his safe deposit box at Lloyds Bank. Also in one of the boxes is a ledger kept by the smut king Lew Vogel (played by the versatile David Suchet), detailing payoffs to crooked cops, and another box kept by a `Madame,' the contents of which depict certain MPs in...uh...non-parliamentary scenarios. Evidently, everyone's been a naughty boy and girl.
  
  Meanwhile, a former model with East End roots, Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), is aided by a her lover, an MI5 spook, in beating the rap for transporting drugs into the UK. In exchange, she has to call on her petty criminal friends to break into the Lloyd's Bank vault and retrieve the compromising photos of said VIP. Innocent of the true motive behind the heist, her friend Terry Leather (Jason Statham) agrees to the proposition, himself needing fast cash to pay off debts to some scary thugs. The crew consists of Terry, Martine, Terry's friends Kevin Swain (Stephen Campbell Moore), Dave Shilling (Daniel Mays), and Eddie Burton (Michael Jibson), and outside help in a Maj. Guy Singer (con artist extraordinaire), and Bambas (a tunneling expert). The plan is to take over the lease of a handbag store, Le Sac, and tunnel from its underground to the chicken take-out store adjacent to the bank, and finally into the bank's vault itself. (Their total loot was reportedly £4M.) Terry suspects that Martine is hiding something, and as things get even more complicated, the crew finds themselves chased by the MI5, the cops, and Vogel's henchmen, as well as engaging in a bargain brokered by Lord Mountbatten himself! (Absurdly hilarious, but who knows? Real life is stranger than fiction.)
  
  Terrific acting all throughout, especially by Statham, and lots of twists and turns to keep things fresh. Swinging London was depicted extraordinarily well; production values were superb. A bit of comic dialogue and scenes in between ups the fun factor. One of the DVD extras which shows photos of the actual crime scene, especially the tunnel dug through Le Sac, were quite interesting. Comparing them to the film, the meticulous duplication of details was remarkable. The heist itself was audacious and entertaining, but it's the back-stories that bring real excitement into this. The actual heist is a true story but the damning photos are mere conjecture. A D-Notice (a sort of gag-the-press action) was issued at the time of the real events and it never surfaced as fact that the photos were indeed of Princess Margaret. She did have a party-girl image in the 1960s, and her exploits were fodder for the British rags. Michael X himself was hanged in Trinidad in 1975, but his file still remains closed until 2054. Though the robbery made the headlines, it quickly died down only after a few days. What was really behind all this? Well, that's left for the viewer to speculate. After all, that's part of the entertainment.
  
  
• Fascinating Special Feature
  By A6R7LI6RUNXAV on 2008-07-24
  Among other features, the disc includes a mini-documentary, "The Baker Street Bank Raid", on the real life bank robbery. The documentary includes photos and audio (in the movie the crooks end up having their radio transmissions recorded by a ham radio operator) from the actual bank robbery. It's fascinating to see and hear details of the actual robbery in relation to the movie. A great movie with great special features makes this a Blu-Ray worth owning.
  
  
• Thin
  By A2AHI9YY06CP70 on 2008-08-01
  I was all hyped up to watch this movie. I read on some forum that I should go home and prepare to watch a fantastic movie. I bought the Blu-ray disc (BD) on Amazon and a couple of days later it arrived. Made dinner settled into my chair, fired up my 7.1 home theater and was unimpressed. I don't mind heavy British accents when the movie is good enough to put it aside.An example would be "The Full Monte" or Harry Potter, but this movie was lame. I don't care if it was based on a true story. The Great Escape was based on a true story and it was great. The execution of putting it down to film, the telling of the story if you will, was thin to say the least. The film maker attempts to peak your willingness to watch this flick with early on sexual scenes and with euro strip club, semi naked ladies in the backround as part of the area of operation. Did not work for me. The story doddles along until after a string of boring acts of implementation of the plan straining to come to a peak. It then turns to a semi who gets who first exercise, and then ends. Thank goodness. It is now one of my "I only watched it one time" BD's in my collection. For me it was a waste of money. The guy needed a shave too. You know how many Europeans have a particular odor when your standing next to them? This movie had the same smell.
  
  
• Not Enough Story to Support the Film
  By ACEA95FQS1AVP on 2008-08-14
  This movie was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be a typical heist film with lots of tension, planning and some humor and action thrown in, like the Ocean's movies or "The Italian Job." Instead, it was slow. VERY, very slow.
  
  The movie is "based" upon a true story. Which usually means a kernel of truth, and the rest is Hollywood. However, in this instance there wasn't enough truth, or enough Hollywood! Jason Statham plays Terry Leather, a slightly shady owner of a car shop, and loving family man. Saffron Burrows plays his former love interest Martine who talks him and a few of his chums into a bank robbery for safe deposit boxes. But, they are rank amateurs and only get away with it out of sheer dumb luck. This should have been a source of humor in the story, but the set-up and execution took so long, with no real activity, that I found myself thinking, "get on with it already!" Terry is slightly suspicious of Martine's motives, but can't pass up this chance. Unfortunately, half the film passes before they start tunneling to the bank, and there is no real planning during that time. In fact, the trailer does an excellent job of giving you the plan for the entire heist, heck the entire movie including the few punchlines, in under 3 minutes! The trailer makes the movie look action-packed. Only, ALL the action from the film is in that trailer - literally.
  
  None of the main characters except Terry are developed at all; they remain two-dimensional to the end. This made it difficult to care about whether they lived or died, or even what their names were. Instead, the film spends a lot of time introducing the nefarious crook Michael X (wannabe be Malcolm) who is untouchable because he's got scandalous photos of a royal. That happen to be stored in a safe deposit box. Then we meet Vogle, porn king of London, who stores his ledger of pay offs in a safe deposit box. And the madam Sonja who stores compromising pictures of officials in a safe deposit box. Gee, I wonder what Martine is after? These villains are way over-the-top and almost ridiculously portrayed, but the rare instances of violence in the film are brutal and vividly real - reminding viewers that this heist really did occur, and people really did get murdered because of it. It did not mesh well. Nor did the gratuitous nudity that was peppered throughout the film. In a comedic action movie, that's fine. But, it was out of place here.
  
  The movie did have some good points. The cinematography, costumes and sets really captured the look and feel of the 70's. The events of the true story, the greatest heist in British history, are very interesting (and would have made an awesome episode of Notorious, or other true crime tv show), and the last 20 minutes were excellent as the crew tangles with crooks, MI-5, the police, and each other. Everyone wants the photos, and everyone wants Terry and his crew dead. The film closes with an epilogue of sorts - words appear on the black screen giving further fallout of the case. This information was the best part of the film.
  
  
  Since the official files on this case are still classified, there wasn't enough "fact" to flesh out the plot to support a full-length film. This could have been much better if Hollywood had taken more liberties to inject some excitement into it. I prefer Jason Statham in action roles like "Transporter," or "Crank," where he's kicking butt and stealing the show. He was wasted in this family man role and he had zero chemistry with Burrows. Overall, I'm glad I saw it but I should have passed on buying the DVD. I probably won't watch it again, especially since there are NO extras on the single disc edition. You get the film, set-up, trailer, and previews. That's it. How disappointing for a movie based on a true story.
  
  
• Enjoyable caper flick
  By A1F6T10MCMJYMK on 2008-08-19
  I saw this movie on Unbox and thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie is set in 70s-early 80s England and its fun to see the people wearing costumes from back then and driving around in the British cars from that period. Also I found the story intriguing and not out-of-the-world unrealistic as some movies tend to be, as its based on a true story. Acting in my opinion was above par and the movie did not have unnecessary scenes of violence.
  
  So I hope you enjoy it, I certainly did.
  
  
• The Bank Job Movie Review
  By A2MYUI8IT6UBUU on 2008-03-07
  Sporting complex consequences for a relatively straightforward plot, The Bank Job remains intriguing throughout as each set-up leads to ever more suspenseful twists for the likeable group of ragtag antiheroes. Over-thorough character introductions cause a slower build in the early stages of the heist, but such complications likely arise from fewer liberties taken with the "based on a true story" events, and the result is a fascinating look at criminals, the corrupt, and those least guilty.
  
  It is 1971 in East London and a fateful bank robbery begins to take shape. In order to remove the threat of radical gangster Michael X, government officials devise a plan to rob a bank on Baker Street and retrieve damning photographs from his possession. To keep the heist untraceable back to them, an independent group of thieves, led by car dealer Terry (Jason Statham) and the cunning Martine (Saffron Burrows) are unwittingly thrown into a deadly battle against corrupt officials and London's criminal underworld.
  
  Jason Statham isn't your typical leading man, yet ever since Guy Ritchie's early films he has managed to keep coming back with bigger and better roles and is now thought of as an action film star. However it's here, in darker thrillers, that he finds a more sincere presence, especially as thief and scoundrel Terry. Each moral flaw creates a more dimensional character, and one worth rooting for.
  
  The language of the film is genuinely intriguing, as it captures wonderfully wry British slang. Cheeky sod, 12-inch mutton dagger, a bit of bother, usual skullduggery and things turning a-custard are but a few of the verbal jousts that occur between the main characters. Devoid of euphuisms, these apparently authentic words make the dialogue a particularly potent piece of the puzzle.
  
  The entire subplot about Michael X and his blackmailing of the British government is useful in its supposed tie to facts, but as filmed scenes in the movie, they are hardly necessary. Photographs of a princess caught in the act of promiscuity are at the root of the blackmail plot, which then goes on to include further damaging materials from Sonia Bern's brothel, also of factual importance, but equally unnecessary in the film. Michael X's involvement could have been entailed in a briefing by the 506 crew, who spill out the usual generic explanations of villains, and even Bern's entanglement could have been narrated through the details of the photos. While most of these moments have their entertainment value, essentially they serve to drag out the film's running time.
  
  They say truth is stranger than fiction, and The Bank Job definitely falls into that category. Pimps, thieves, spies, and government officials all collide in a robbery gone right and then terribly wrong, lending the inquisitive to ponder over how much (or little) is fabricated in this thriller. The robbery itself is merely the setup to an intricate conclusion, even though the film takes time to create plenty of suspense throughout the not-so-carefully planned heist. Though the people making demands continually change, our attention is always seated with Jason Statham's unusually intense performance. When the credits roll and the explanation that "the names have been changed to protect the guilty" flashes onscreen, we realize what a delightfully flourished yet entertaining tale of "doing the wrong thing" The Bank Job really is.
  
  - The Massie Twins
  
  
  
• This is no Ocean's-style heist film
  By A1RNMPOY4XIAA8 on 2008-03-08
  Despite a weak, B-rate feeling opening, The Bank Job manages to pull itself up and shape into a wildly engaging, gritty, realistic heist film that holds nothing back and does not have the comfy, playful feel of the Ocean's films. And here's the kick: its' based on a true story.
  
  
  Yes that's right, it is based on the true story of the 1971 Baker Street Bank robbery in England, considered to be one of the biggest bank robberies in British history. Terry Leather (played by Jason Statham) is in a spot of trouble. He owes money to some criminal bigwig, so when an old friend Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) comes along with a proposition for him and his two mates to rob a small bank's safety deposit box vault, he takes it. As they begin their job everything fits perfectly into place and moves along at a smooth pace...an almost too smooth pace as very quickly the little proposition spirals madly out of control with secrets and double crossing being revealed, all before coming to a surprising ending.
  
  
  I was disappointed that characters were not as fleshed out and developed as I would have liked. However, Terry is done very well and I feel Jason Statham, the most underrated action movie star, has an almost Bruce Willis-type presence.
  
  
  The acting and dialogue was good, Saffron Burrows gives a bristling nuanced performance, and Terry's two mates Daniel Mays and Stephen Campbell Moore both bring a balanced energy to gang of criminals.
  
  
  The Bank Job is a rough, somewhat violent heist film that does not have a fun feel to it, however as it picks up from the mediocre beginning it holds you with a raw intensity that rewards you even more once the credits roll as you read the real life aftermath of the characters.
  
  
  
• Entertaining Crime Flick Set In 1970's London
  By A3BEF4IHWI0VC on 2008-03-08
  The British secret service is anxious to retrieve lurid photos of Princess Margaret caught in a threesome while on vacation in the Caribbean. The pics have come into possesion of one Michael X, a Black Power radical who is also involved in a wide array of criminal activities. So when Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) is picked up for drug smuggling an MI 5 agent cuts her a deal in exchange for her setting up a bank robbery to get the photos that Michael X has stored in a safe deposit box.
  
  Martine contacts an old flame named Terry Leather (Jason Statham) and they plan the robbery with the help of a gang of fellow small time crooks. Terry and cohorts get away with the loot. But are upset to discover Martine's secret deal with the MI 5 concerning the photos. From here all manner of chaos ensues involving the MI 5, corrupt police officers, Michael X and a porn dealer named Vogel.
  
  It's an entertaining enough ride, though pretty much a typical crime genre movie in most respects. But the setting in 1970's London takes it a notch higher in terms of entertainment value. Also the fact that it is based on such an extreme and outrageous true story makes it more interesting. This is a darker and more violent side of British society than most Americans are usually exposed to. But it's a fun escape for those seeking some fast paced entertainment.
  
  
• Don't Quit Your Bank Job...
  By A3ROE64EVHDTTV on 2008-07-30
  The Good Things
  *A few bits of excitement.
  *Good, solid filming style. Colors and textures are rough and gritty, and even though the camera shakes around a little, it's not too overwhelming.
  *Storyline is straightforward.
  *Acting is not bad. A few good lines.
  *Good music.
  
  The Bad Things
  *Has its slow parts, and ultimately, there's not many memorable scenes.
  *Characters are not very well developed, and are forgettable.
  
  This film is pretty well-made, and is sure to please most people. I found it a bit dull, especially when compared to other capers like "Oceans 11" or "The Italian Job." Still, it is mildly satisfying and entertaining. Fans of these kinds of films will certainly enjoy it.
  
  The disc has good video and sound quality. The single-disc edition has a commentary, a couple of featurettes, and a trailer (does include some information on the real-life heist). The two-disc version includes the digital copy of the film (may have some other featuettes too, but I'm not entirely sure).
  
  
• Boring
  By A2TVAG2XX0LWIO on 2008-08-18
  Within the first ten minutes of this move I felt that it could be a waste of 90 minutes of my life. I was right. Simply put, there are just better movies about bank robberies. Such as Inside Man, with Clive Owen and Denzel Washington. The Bank Job is very thin on plot and the development of the story line is slow and boring. In addition, there is not any real action scenes to speak of. Not in the traditional sense of blowing stuff up, cars chasing down the streets and fights, that is what keeps people entertained. This movie rocked me, to sleep that is and made me second guess what I was watching it in the first place.
  
  Since this movie is partly based on a true story I hope that the real bank robbery that took place was a lot more fun and adventurous than watching this movie. Because overall there was absolutely nothing captivating about this movie.
  
  
• You'll be entertained.
  By A2BGG9H67NDWSA on 2008-03-31
  I thought going in that this would turn out to be just another in the long line of generic bank heist movies that came before it; it wasn't.
  The heist is essentially completed by the halfway point and the rest of the movie deals with the machinations that lead to it and its repercussions.
  The mix of intrigue, action and interesting characters left me very satisfied when it was time for the credits to roll.
  
  
• Edge of Your Seat Heist Thriller
  By A27VY7BUVD09I2 on 2008-07-02
  Based on the1970s true story about a group of amateur crooks who rob a British bank and get away with a little more than some cash and jewels. They think they have a once in a lifetime opportunity when they find out the bank's security system is temporarily out of service. What they don't know is that they're being used by government agents to retrieve some incriminating photos of a princess caught in the act of engaging in some undiscriminating sexual behavior. Before they know it, they are being hunted down by government agents, police and mobsters who were storing their own incriminating evidence in those very same safety deposit boxes.
  
  "The Bank Job" is an edge of your seat heist movie. The fact that it is based on true events make this film all that much more interesting. Don't get the feeling that your getting an "Oceans" type heist movie. No high tech gadgetry or disguises here. It's shovels and jackhammers, a good ol' get your hands dirty robbery.
  
  Jason Statham proves once and for all that he is capable of being a good actor. He nearly goes the entire movie without hitting somebody. Overall the entire cast was brilliant. "The Bank Job" has enough action, plot twists and suspense to keep you entertained throughout and will leave you feeling fully satisfied when the credits roll.
  
  
• "What a Tangled Web We Weave, When We First Practice to Deceive"
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2008-07-16
  "Truth is stranger than fiction." This saying is given believable weight in `The Bank Job' Sort of the British equivalent of `Serpico (Widescreen Edition)' (with the notable exception of any honest true-life players) the film centers on the life of debt-ridden car salesman, Terry Leathers (Jason Statham), a man driven to settle his debts with a brilliant bank robbery scheme that's so riddled with twists of good and ill luck, he could have made odds' makers throw in their chips.
  
  Back in the day, 1971, debt handlers were not a pretty sight in the U.K. Today some people get insistent or harassing calls for delinquency, but no one comes to smash our display car models to extort a debt. So starts the justifying context of Terry, who makes contact with Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), a woman who'd like to erase her own debt to society by obtaining some incriminating photos found in a safety deposit box at a branch of Lloyd's Bank.
  
  It starts smart enough. They choose nearby Chicken Inn as posturing new owners, pretending to remodel for a new business. If that seems water tight, then tension comes quickly when a constable raps on their door to politely announce their neighbors are complaining about the jackhammer racket of their renovation. Clever also turns to chaos once again when a roof observer radios his reports below, an radio operator quickly gets wise to them, records their proceedings, and contacts the police. Doomed? Not yet, there's more.
  
  In the interweaving drama, there are conflicting parties with at least as much at stake. One of the deposit boxes has scandalous photos of Princess Margaret and Tripoli's elusive London radical, Michael X. In another safety deposit box is a set of photos linking an escort to a high political official who has a taste for kinky behavior. If that weren't enough, at Berns' steamy brothel and adult nightclub, police regularly take bribes to keep the place operational, and the owner is astute enough to write down every payout on a bookkeeping ledger. Where does he keep it? In one of the safety deposit boxes, of course.
  
  I won't let on if crime indeed pays, but I will indicate some of the price. Kidnapping one of the key robbers, the debt sharks keep up their heinous extortion. While negotiating for their release, Terry must also work with officials and police, each needing their own goods. The government wants to keep high officials and Princess Margaret from scandal, and the police want to recapture the ledger implicating them to illegal graft. Murder and counter negotiations take place in spades. How and to whom? Wild horses couldn't drag it out of me.
  
  Will Terry and his cohorts escape with their lives and their visas? Who comes out on top and who on the bottom? Will there be leaks of the bank robber "tapes" to the press? Will Terry be able to keep his family together and save his marriage? Tune in to the movie and find out for yourself. There's much more to be revealed. How true is it? I don't know for certain, but you get those written narratives provided at the end, filling us in on what happened to the key people and organizations the movie documents, so it must be close. Significantly, during the credits, it reads, "The names have been changed to protect the guilty." Incriminating evidence for a true tale told well.
  
  The timing, the portrayals, and the material make for a solid and pleasurable viewing experience. (Written [Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais) and directed (Roger Donaldson) with equal finesse.)
  
  A JP's Pick 4 *'s = Very Good
  
  
• Entertaining Period Thriller with Plenty of Suspense and Intrigue.
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2008-07-21
  "The Bank Job" stretches the truth of the 1971 heist of Lloyd's Baker Street Bank in London into a smart, entertaining political thriller. Ex-model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) is having a fling with MI5 bureaucrat Tim Everett (Richard Lintern) when she lands in hot water over a drug charge. In exchange for her freedom, Martine convinces some old friends that the safe deposit vault at Lloyd's is ripe for the picking. Terry (Jason Statham) is a slightly shady car dealer with a history of small-time crime and a shine for Martine. Kevin (Stephen Campbell Moore) is a photographer ex-boyfriend, and Dave (Daniel Mays) and old pal. Together, they plot and execute a £4 million heist, but, unbeknownst to the thieves, the real danger lies in the secrets, not the money, that the safe deposit boxes hold.
  
  "The Bank Job" is a blend of fact, speculation, fabrication, and real events that have been connected in a highly speculative fashion. The bank robbery did happen more or less as presented, but there was apparently a D-notice issued by MI5 several days later that forbid the press from speaking further of the crime for reasons of national security. Even stranger, the thieves were eventually caught, convicted, and served prison sentences, but all in secret. Their names have never been revealed. Because no one knows who they are, the characters in the movie are fictional. The real robbery was certainly not orchestrated by MI5, who need only present a warrant if they want access to a safe deposit box, but the agency does seem to have taken an interest after the fact. The idea that photos of a frolicking royal were at the heart of the matter is based on secondhand information, and speculation about a connection to Michael Abdul Malik is due to his having a box in that Lloyd's vault.
  
  The "based on a true story" tag in the movie's logo is misleading, but there were some strange and bewildering aspects to the Lloyd's Baker Street Bank robbery which remain mysterious to this day. "The Bank Job" takes the speculation, ties it all together with some pure fiction, and creates a top-notch political thriller with great 1970s period atmosphere. It's all very cynical toward government and law enforcement, and, in that way, perhaps it reflects the mood in 1971 and 2008 as well. Honorable thieves, corrupt cops, hypocritical security services and politicians, raunchy royals, sex, violence, greed, sleaze...this movie packs it all into a tight, suspenseful package. I'm surprised "The Bank Job" didn't do better at the box office. With plenty of intrigue and thrills, i's the best movie I've seen so far in 2008.
  
  The DVD (Lions Gate 2008 single disc): The single disc edition includes 2 featurettes, a feature commentary, and a theatrical trailer. "Inside the Bank Job" (16 min) is a making-of documentary that interviews director Roger Donaldson, writers Ian Le Frenais and Dick Clement, producers, cast, and some crew about the film's tone, locations, production design, story, and the large cast. "The Baker Street Bank Raid" (15 min) is about the real robbery. The ham radio operator who picked up the thieves' transmission is interviewed, as well as some historians, journalists about the robbery and the suspicious aspects of the case. There is a feature commentary by director Donaldson, actress Saffron Burrows, and composer J. Peter Robinson. It's a constant commentary but not very focused or informative. Subtitles for the film are available in English and Spanish.
  
  
• Awesome and then some
  By A32290AKOY97FZ on 2008-08-07
  Coinciding with the DVD release, a review in the Wall Street Journal suggested that this was a superb film. And it IS a superb film but for reasons far different than what I anticipated - since the review was not exactly going into many details. [Aside to the reviewer who complained about "sex" - duh, where? I abhor those kinds of scenes and there was merely suggestiveness in this film rather than the boring full-blown sex that passes for "entertainment" these days. Although I will concede that a couple of the violence scenes were not my cup of tea; I am not much into violence but it was easy to ignore the minor incidences because they did not go overboard and were not gratuitous in showing violence at every turn like one so often sees in films these days.]
  
  One great thing about this movie is that everything is totally believable and realistic...you could actually imagine the things (good, bad, idiotic and otherwise) actually happening! An excellent portrayal of people's pressure points - and why sometimes their actions are not driven from within but from without. In spades. It was just delightful from beginning to end in the characters whose stories were told.
  
  I am a foreign film buff and this film is more in line with that type of film than the awful stuff that passes for "entertainment" from Hollywood.
  
  By the end of the film, I was really hoping that the last scene(s) were true. It was nice to believe, but one never really knows which parts are truly close to the fact and which are fiction for the audience to enjoy. It did nail the 70's so brilliantly that I thought I was back reliving those days again - even though it was Britain and not the US.
  
  Another bonus is that it managed to portray corruption a la LA Confidential, so if you liked that movie, then you will also enjoy this one - probably enjoy it more than LA Confidential because it is more believable from beginning to end.
  
  
• Good not great
  By A252ZZ4PIM7EU2 on 2008-08-28
  It was a good movie but not great, I found some of the nudity disturbing and out of place.
  
  
• "The Bank Job" is great!
  By A3LZBOBV9H1HDV on 2008-03-10
  "The Bank Job" is great! This is how the story goes: A car dealer with a dodgy past and new family, Terry has always avoided major-league scams. But when Martine, a beautiful model from his old neighborhood, offers him a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London's Baker Street, Terry recognizes the opportunity of a lifetime. Martine targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don't realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets - secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal that spans London's criminal underworld, the highest echelons of the British government, and the Royal Family itself...the true story of a heist gone wrong...in all the right ways. The cast led by Jason Statham (as Terry Leather) is great! The directing by Roger Donaldson (who also directed "The Recruit" (2003), "Thirteen Days" (2000), "Dante's Peak" (1997), "Species" (1995), "The Getaway" (1994), "No Way Out" (1987), & "The Bounty" (1984) is excellent! The story and screenplay by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais (both who also wrote the story and screenplay to "Across The Universe" (2007) is excellent! The music by J. Peter Robinson is great! The cinematography by Michael Coulter (who also did the cinematography to "Love Actually" (2003) is excellent! The film editing by John Gilbert (who also did the film editing to "The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring" (2001) & "Bridge To Terabithia" (2007) is excellent! The casting by Lucinda Syson (who also did the upcoming "Speed Racer" (2008) is excellent! The production design by Gavin Bocquet (who also did the production design to all of 3 of the "Star Wars" prequels and the 2 "XXX" movies) is excellent! The art direction by Phil Harvey (who also did the art direction to all of 3 of the "Star Wars" prequels and "XXX" (2002) & Mark Scruton (both who also did the art direction work to the upcoming "Made Of Honor" (2008) is excellent! The set decoration by John Bush (who also did the set decoration to the upcoming "Made Of Honor") is excellent! The costume design by Odile Dicks-Mireaux (who also did the costume design to "10,000 B.C." (2008), which, of course, was released on the same date, ironically enough) is excellent! This is an great heist thriller that keeps you thinking and interested. This is also one of the better movies of this year, so far.
  
  
• It's a good job.
  By AYWSFRCIMOAYE on 2008-06-03
  The first 30 minutes are sleep inducing. The last 60 minutes are suspenseful and exciting. They're full of twists. It's based on a true story but I don't know how true it was. A search on www.wikipedia.org gave interesting information about the real heist.
  
  It's worth seeing.
  
  
• STATHAM SCORES A BANK JOB
  By A2DAHERP7HYJGO on 2008-07-26
  Jason Statham has become an action anti-hero icon. Beginning his film career with LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, Statham continued on to film the TRANSPORTER films, CRANK and last year's WAR. The time has come for him to venture out of his pure action grind and head into the world of drama. He does so with the release this week of THE BANK JOB.
  
  THE BANK JOB is the true story of a group of low level criminals in 1971 London who are recruited to rob a bank's safe deposit boxes. Without being aware, the group is hired to do so by the British Secret Service.
  
  The Service' real reason for the heist is for these thieves to get a set of pictures showing Princess Margaret in an uncompromising position. Those photos belong to a black militant named Michael X (Peter De Jersey) and are his get out of jail free card when it comes to his trial. The pictures were stored there on the advice of London pornographer Lew Vogel. Unbeknownst to the Service, Vogel has his own valuable stored in the vault as well, a ledger that shows all of the payoffs to corrupt police in town.
  
  An ex-model named Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), caught smuggling drugs, is recruited by the Service to pull off the heist in turn for her freedom. and in turn for her freedom. Martine starts the ball rolling and the criminals she chooses are an odd mixture of friends led by Terry Leather (Statham), a crook trying to go straight with a car dealership but at the same time in debt to the wrong people. The score will net him enough money to pay them off and be free.
  
  The first part of the film details the group planning the robbery. It moves forward giving background on a multitude of players who all have something to hide and the evidence of it stored in the vault. From there we are transported to the actual heist which involves tunneling into the vault via an abandoned store two doors down.
  
  As they tunnel their way in, they use a lookout to make sure no police arrive to check things out. But this lookout and his walkie talkie are picked up by a ham radio operator who gets the police involved. The only problem is which bank is it being looted?
  
  The heist goes off without an arrest and the crooks head out to split the spoils of their deed. At the same time, a number of government officials (pictures of each at a local brothel part of the stolen property) get in on the case, the Service wants the pictures they started this whole thing for and Vogel wants his log book.
  
  Can Terry and the gang get away with this robbery, the biggest since the great train robbery with an estimated $3 million stolen? Or will they find themselves squeezed between the real crooks, the Secret Service and the corrupt police? You'll have to watch to find out.
  
  The entire cast does a fantastic job of not only settling into the skin of their characters but of playing the time period to perfection as well. Statham finally gets to show he has some acting chops which hopefully will lead to more roles like this one.
  
  Director Roger Donaldson (DANTES PEAK, COCKTAIL, NO WAY OUT) does the story justice as well, bringing it to life on the screen. In his hands what could have been a boring caper film is instead filled with rich characters and situations that leave your palms damp with anticipation and a caring for the people involved. Sure they're thieves but you hope they get away with it.
  
  Plenty of stories to go round, plenty of threads that are all tied up by films end and plenty of action for those who expect it. But in the end this movie gives more than mere action. It gives a true story a touch of heart.
  
  
  
• A very good heist movie
  By A3W1JJGJHRPH4Y on 2008-08-02
  The fun thing about this movie is that it isn't a prototypical heist movie. The heist was pulled off by a bunch of low lifes who basically lucked out. There was planning, but there wasn't a mastermind planning every detail. They followed their plan, but in the end they were very lucky. Everybody (the police and bad guys) was just sort of blundering around just like real life.
  
  Jason Statham is very good, but the movie isn't particularly about him. It is a good ensemble caste. The writing, the pacing and filming is all good. The nudity surprises me, but it does set up the rest of the plot. Another neat thing is the the twist is the bank heist team gets into hot water, not only with the cops, but with dirty cops, the government, and some really bad guys in a pornography ring. The movie keeps me at the edge of my seat for most of the time.
  
  In summary, the movie was just plain fun.
  
  
• The Bank Job
  By ADAM7APH1KD5X on 2008-08-09
  Hello.
  I am sorry to say that you have sent me this great movie in a wrong region code, code 1, so I can not watch it on my Blu-Ray player.
  This is the third time that has happend, even though is says that it's all regions or region 2
  I am very disappointed because of that.
  Thank you so much.
  
  Kind regards from Geir Hjoerenvik.
  
  
• The Bank Job: Don't Miss It
  By A1ZOF747O5EB6R on 2008-08-17
  What a great romp of a film! It's essentially a crime film but with a sly sense of humour at times and with various wonderful plot twists. It's also quite confronting at times. It's always entertaining.
  
  The film claims to be based on a true story. The magnitude of the robbery on which it's based was greater than the Great Train Robbery. Details were never allowed to be fully released as the crime had security implications.
  
  So, let me back up a bit. A group of small time criminals gets a tip off about a bank vault where the alarms have been temporarily tuned off. They intend to dig a tunnel from an adjacent building and steal the contents of the various safe deposit boxes. In spite of themselves, they succeed. The money and jewels are stolen in the heist but so too are compromising photographs of Princess Margaret and others of various cabinet ministers. Needless to say, the photos are more valuable to some people than the money.
  
  Through a series of crosses and double crosses, the gang mainly but not totally succeeds. Along the way, the plot twists and turns and the viewer is always kept guessing. Jason Statham as the leader of the team is very convincing. His beautiful accomplice Saffron Burrows provides some sexual tension to the story. She is quite a revelation.
  
  I recommend this film without question. The British are very good at producing a crime thriller. Hollywood could take a few lessons. Do yourself a favour, go and see this film.
  
  
  
• A fine way to spend an evening
  By A1YS3I3BIO5M7B on 2008-08-19
  The Bank Job is a heist movie. Heist films usually have three elements. First they are usually ensemble movies, (The Thomas Crown Affair being an obvious exception), the heist is a contest of wits and a race against time, and the protagonists look to be caught but in the end get away with the loot through some interesting plot twist.
  
  This makes the antagonist exceptionally important. The antagonist must be a worthy opponent, but because a heist is basically robbery, this authority figure or competing criminal must lose and the audience needs to cheer their loss. Tough. Compared to a standard cop and robber story, a heist movie flips the audience sympathies to the bad guys.
  
  Judged as a heist movie, The Bank Job deserves three stars. The biggest problem is that the story is loosely based on actual events. Not loosely enough because the storyline works too hard to bring the three elements together. (The gang actually takes a nap in the middle of the robbery.) Real life can be stranger than fiction, but not always more entertaining.
  
  Judged as a drama, The Bank Job deserves four stars for a tight script, good acting, and interesting characters. American films shot abroad tend to chose picture postcard sites, but foreign films shot at home show the seamier side of their country. The Bank Job is a British film and it will never be confused with an American film shot in England. The feel and style of the movie is entirely British and part of its charm.
  
  If you're a heist film aficionado, this may not be in your top 5, but if you like a well-crafted movie with a talented cast, you'll enjoy The Bank Job.
  The Shut Mouth Society
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