Like a lot of action actors, the same rules apply: put Jason Statham in the right roll and he’ll shine. Now Statham’s not necessarily a good actor, or even a typical leading man, but I will say that he’s compelling and his charisma shines through even when he’s at the centre of some of the worst kind of dreck. And also… you’ve got to love that voice, it’s like English Darth Vader with a throat infection. Well Statham finds a niche in The Bank Job, a wicked heist movie that’s more about the criminals than the crime.
Apparently based on a true story, The Bank Job referenced is a break-in to a London vault that holds the safe deposit boxes, in which a number of less than scrupulous Londoners hold their blackmailables. One box in particular holds some rather scandalous photos of a member of the Royal family in a three-way, a bargaining chip for black power front man Michael X (Peter De Jersey). Former model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), through her lover, a MI-6 agent (Richard Lintern), brings the job of recovering the photos to career criminal Terry (Statham) and his crew. Complications ensue as the heist doesn’t go according to plan.
The Bank Job seamlessly spins a web of deceit, intrigue and political turmoil while juggling a large cast of characters each with their own motivations and counter offers. Fortunately, it’s easy to keep up with the various and crosscutting developments. Unlike say Ocean’s Eleven, the film doesn’t fain the fact that these are dirty people doing dirty deeds; on the gritty streets of London, you are as advertised. The film at first seems to play against that, but when the fallout of the heist catches up to the gang and the real villains find out, they are truly in deep Barney.
Also separating The Bank Job from other heist pictures are the characters, everybody has their own motivation and the fun is watching all these radically different people crash into each other over what should have been a matter of easy money. Stratham balances things really good; he’s not a typical tough guy in this, he’s a family man with ambition to do right by his wife and girls. The rest of the all-British cast is equally impressive, a joy to watch interacting as they either bungle through the robbery or bungle through the pursuit of the robbers depending on the side they’re on.
Fast-paced, action-filled and at times even a little funny, The Bank Job does a wonderful job of sucking the audience in and getting them to follow along in what is probably a pretty improbable set of circumstances. But then again, truth is stranger than fiction and if there’s one thing that this Job is, it’s strange. A great vintage look, an accessible type of grittiness, tart English dialogue and a compelling leading man all combine to make this a movie that’s rather difficult to resist. One could almost say it’s a steal, but no me, do buy your movie tickets.
