The Bank Job

In 1971 London, a small time crook (Jason Statham) leads a group of amateurs on a daring bank robbery, only to discover they’ve stolen a lot more than money.

The Bank Job, while somewhat uneven, is nonetheless a solid heist movie with great period atmosphere.

The film’s biggest problem is its tone. It starts off as a half-serious crime flick in the vein of lead Jason Statham’s earlier film Snatch (2000), but at about the two-thirds mark, the film turns very dark, almost sadistic, with a torture sequence involving a sand-blaster, before reverting back to a lighter note. While this isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s certainly a stumble.

That said, The Bank Job is very well done. Director Roger Donaldson brings a great sense of early 70s London atmosphere that feels lived in and authentic. Further, with the exception of the aforementioned misstep, he handles the story well, mixing exploitation, drama, suspense and action to create a very enjoyable ride.

The cast is universally good, with Peter De Jersey and David Suchet delivering in spades as a pair of really smarmy villains, and it’s refreshing to see Statham lead a respectable film without Guy Ritchie behind the camera, even if his dyed black hair looks ridiculous.