****Film Only Review****
Normally I am the first person to see film's in my house but in the case of 'The Bank Job' my mum had already seen it before I settled down to watch it the other night. Because of her previous viewing I was already aware that the film was decent, which for my mum ... Read review
The Bank Job is inspired by an extraordinary true event - a daring robbery that took place ... more
in the 70's, with a haul valued higher than that of the Great Train Robbery. Yet almost as soon as the 'Walkie Talkie Bank Job' happened, a gagging order was pla...
The Bank Job is inspired by an extraordinary true event - a daring robbery that took place ... more
in the 70s, with a haul valued higher than that of the Great Train Robbery. Yet almost as soon as the 'Walkie Talkie Bank Job' happened, a gagging order was placed on the story and it disappeared completely from the media. Only now, over 30 years later, has the fascinating story come to light and the truth behind a right royal scandal been exposed. Director Roger Donaldson (The Recruit, Species), The Bank Job reveals an amazing backstory where for once the criminals were the most innocent ones involved. Starring Jason Statham (The Transporter, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Saffron Burrows (Deep Blue Sea) and David Suchet (TV's Poirot), this is a highly charged thriller and an immensely enjoyable Brit-flick in one.
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: K.C. Bascombe - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jesse James, Rachel Skarsten, Charles Powell, Linda Purl, Kevin Zegars
Advantages: An interesting storyline Disadvantages: Nothing stood out
...
Normally I am the first person to see film's in my house but in the case of 'The Bank Job' my mum had already seen it before I settled down to watch it the other night. Because of her previous viewing I was already aware that the film was decent, which for my mum to say is definitely a compliment. I was therefore dually expecting a really entertaining couple hours and by and large this is exactly what I got.
== General Information ... ...that was released in 2008. The film's cast include names of the big and small screen including Jason Stratham, James Faulkner, Saffron Burrows and Keeley Hawes. The film is based on the Baker Street Robbery of 1971 but the extent of the historical facts is difficult to determine under the significant fictional elements of the story.
== The Plot ==
Terry Leather is a petty thief gone straight. He currently owns a car sales ... more
****Film Only Review****
Normally I am the first person to see film's in my house but in the case of 'The Bank Job' my mum had already seen it before I settled down to watch it the other night. Because of her previous viewing I was already aware that the film was decent, which for my mum to say is definitely a compliment. I was therefore dually expecting a really entertaining couple hours and by and large this is exactly what I got.
General Information
The Bank Job is a British made Crime film that was released in 2008. The film's cast include names of the big and small screen including Jason Stratham, James Faulkner, Saffron Burrows and Keeley Hawes. The film is based on the Baker Street Robbery of 1971 but the extent of the historical facts is difficult to determine under the significant fictional elements of the story.
The Plot
Terry Leather is a petty thief gone straight. He currently owns a car sales garage but is being increasingly harassed by two debt collectors. When Martine, the ex-girlfriend of one his close friends, arrives she offers him a way out of all of this. She has it on good authority that the Baker Street Bank will be vulnerable to attack and all Terry and a small bunch of thieves have to do is break into the vault.
What Terry doesn't realise however is that Martine has just recently being caught smuggling heroin into the country and that the job she is requesting Terry run is actually one that British Intelligence need him to do because of compromising photos held in one of the boxes in the vault.
With no time at all the game has opened out on all fronts as storylines collide and characters find themselves unsure of exactly who is on their side and where they should turn.
General Opinion
The plot you may feel is something that you have seen oh so many times before but I must admit that I did find it very refreshing to watch because all the leading storylines as well as the off shoots entwined wonderful. The film can be imagined like a patchwork quilt, with each of the storylines providing a different fabric square that through some clever stitching is brought together to create a completely unique final product.
The acting
The film's cast is a rather eclectic bunch of names from the British side of the big and small screen. Jason Stratham of cause brings in the big name and is therefore the catch for the film but he is more than aptly supported by all of those around him.
Stratham's character is the type he is already well known for playing. The hard man that for whatever reason has a niggling soft side that just won't go away. This film once again sees him excel in this role and portray Terry in a light that makes you constantly will him to succeed.
Martine, played by Saffron Burrows, is in many respects a complete antithesis to Terry. She is pretty and speaks with a pronounced accent that sets her in some ways above the rest. She also provides a little light relief comedy wise because of her want for a relationship with Terry and the little quips she comes up with.
On a similar front the rest of Terry's gang of thieves also have strong relations with one another and provide a lighter and more humorous side to proceedings that could otherwise become to heavy. Daniel Mays as Dave Shilling is wonderful in his role and plays the comic lead without sending the film into a spiral of farcical anecdotes and actions. James Faulkner then perfectly compensates him with his portrayal of Guy Singer, who rather fancies himself as being upper class.
Other notable performances come from 'Spooks' and 'Ashes to Ashes' actress Keeley Hawes who is brilliant as Terry's wife Wendy adding in my dad's eyes at least a bit of glamour to the action, and Georgia Taylor, known for her portrayal of Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street, who plays Ingrid.
The Cinematography
The film doesn't contain a mass of special effects nor does it utilise or even specifically need a whole host of camera trickery. What the film does do however is use some very simple a clear shots to portray a linear story in a way that is easy to follow for the audience. Sometimes flashy camera movements add nothing to the storyline and just create confusion for the audience and therefore the simplicity of this film's appearance on screen makes it all the more pleasurable to watch.
Closing Comment
This film is a really clever one to watch in my opinion because of the different strands of plot and the eclectic bunch of actors and actresses. What I liked the most however is that being based on a true story the film had an element of grounding and the text prior to the closing credits does (or it did me at least) make you think about what you have just seen.
I must admit that I really enjoyed watching this film, which when I first realised it was a British film I was not expecting. Usually I find that the majority of British produced movies try to hard to be the blockbuster American ones rather than just remaining there own creation. The Bank Job however remains it's own film and doesn't try to be something it isn't and because of this is really successful in being an entertaining film.
Advantages: Convincing looking 70's set movie Disadvantages: Chimp Stratham
I was reluctant to watch The Bank Job; sadly I don't fall into the camp that considers Jason Stratham an actor, a chimpanzee with a gruff voice maybe. Something about that classic video look about the cover/poster of the actor looking out of a car window had just enough retro feel about it to lure me in and finally watch the movie.
The Bank Job is a relatively complex (if you're not paying attention) thriller that has a variety of different strands ... ...of bother while returning to the UK with a suitcase filled with drugs. MI5 offer her a chance to redeem herself by hiring a team of thugs to commit a bank robbery, the purpose of the crime to achieve some rather saucy photographs of someone of great status caught in a series of lewd acts held in a bank vault. What Leather and his rogue team were not expecting however is that the contents of box 118 were not the only perennially damaging images in ...
sghawken 21.04.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Bank Job (DVD)
Advantages: Interesting story, tense scenes Disadvantages: Sex scene cut out, unneeded fight scene
The Bank Job tells the story of a group of friends who take the opportunity to rob the vaults of a bank in London. Terry (Statham) is approached by an old friend (Burrows) who claims to know someone in security who has told her that due to a problem with the trains setting the alarms on they wont be on for awhile. He soon persuades his friends to join in with the robbery. What they don't know though is that Martine's friend does not work in security. ... ...photos of a member of the Royal family from Michael X, a bothersome Jamaican activist. The robbery goes ahead but not without its problems but they manage to get away. However, things soon turn nasty when it emerges that a Soho porn king/gangster also has incriminating evidence in the vault and things turn violent as he tries to get it back.
The Good
The script is based on a true story with always makes interesting viewing. It briefly made headlines ...
donnamarie22 03.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Bank Job (DVD)
Advantages: Feels like the 70's Disadvantages: Slightly holey plot
...a true story. I use the quotes as I'm not sure how thoroughly it's actually based on the aforementioned true story. Jason Statham plays Terry, (a small time villain who owns a car showroom) well enough, the girl playing Martine I think was 2nd choice for the role (I have the feeling Lena Heady turned it down) and needs to learn how to pronounce Marylebone correctly too. A mistake no Londoner would make. As their doing this job for MI5 (did MI6 even ... ...department wouldn't they?) off the record it's basically a black bag job.
With bent coppers on the payroll, and brothel madams photographing high flying clients in case they need to do a bit of blackmail just about everyone is on the take in this film. Set in the 1970's they've done their research well, hair & clothes are very accurate. For those curious when their planning the job? Yes, Glentworth Street did & still does run parallel to Baker Street. ...
atytyut2434 28.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Bank Job (DVD)
Advantages: A really enjoyable film with a fantastic story Disadvantages: A little hard to follow at times
...Dad to see this at the cinema for his birthday because I knew he wanted to see it. I wasn't interested in seeing it at all but it's actually a very good film & I ended up buying it on DVD for myself when it was released a few months ago. I only just got round to watching it for the second time & was equally as entertained as I was the first time round.
It's based on a true story of a Royal scandal that happened in the 70's & was all linked up by ... ...it was strangely avoided by the media & there's a good reason for that. Amongst some of the things stolen from the bank vault there were very compromising photos of a certain Royal which lucky for her were never leaked to the press. This is the story of the robbery itself & how it all happened & of course how it links up with the Royal.
It sounds really complicated & before I saw it my Dad was trying to explain what it was about & I thought to myself ...
Great_reviewer07 18.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Bank Job (DVD)
Advantages: Statham Disadvantages: A Bit of Everything
...bored so decided to give the Bank Job a watch. Now it had gone midnight so I didn't think I would even be able to stay up for it but due to the entertainment that it was I did manage it. Now it is not the most amazing film in the world but likewise it is not the worst. I did enjoy it for what it was though so this review will tell you why.
Ok so the story is about a bank robbery which does not completely work out the way it was intended. Martine ... ...that they can break into the bank's vault. Simple enough but several people including thugs and some high people also have things in the vault and would not want them falling into the wrong hands.
The story is quite entertaining as you can imagine and they do a pretty good job with the script in the film. I really cannot fault them with the way the film pans out as it is satisfying and it does manage to keep your attention with a few wavering moments ...
katygriff 30.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Bank Job (DVD)
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Advantages: A couple of okayish performances. Disadvantages: Evrything about it looks and feels cheap and there's no sense of realism.
brass that are less irritating but they are few and far between. Overall the score is yet another encumbrance to an already shoddy production.
If "The BankJob" is the best the British film industry has to offer, then we're in trouble. It's a dreadful piece of filmmaking that didn't deserve a cinematic release. The direction is ropey, the writing riddled with holes and dependent on contrivances and the performances either lazy or inept. Considering it's supposed to be based on a true story is deeply unconvincing. I implore you not to watch it, as spending your money on such poor quality tripe will only encourage the producers to fund more ventures of this type. ...
Advantages: A true story! Good escapism! Great action Disadvantages: Some of the performances aren't that great!
True story of a heist gone wrong? in all the right ways.
This film has been described as a thriller, crime, mystery and a brit flick a la 'Lock Stock'. When having a look at the cinema listings, choosing something to go and see, this film did not really appeal, as the genres already mentioned aren't among the types of film I would usually be interested in. I prefer to watch big blockbusters, or films with a more avant garde nature. So, allowing my partner to make the choice, I went along to see 'The BankJob'. I was mildly excited as I would be seeing something that I wouldn't necessarily choose myself, but had a feeling I would hate it.
Well, I was wrong. At first, I half-heartedly followed the plot and within about 20 minutes, I was hooked. Set in the 70s, this film is based on the true story of 'Baker Street Bank Robbery ...
Advantages: An Hillarious film with the brilliant Whoopi Goldberg! Disadvantages: none that I can think of !
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'Jumpin Jack Flash' was directed by Penny Marshall (Her directorial debut) of ' Big' and ' Awakenings' fame. The film itself was out in 1986 and released on DVD in 2004.
Plot
Terri Doolittle (Whoopi Goldberg) is a bank terminal operator bored with her job who is contacted through her computer by an unknown source!
The message is coded, but once she breaks it a secret agent known only as ' Jumpin Jack Flash' (Jonathan Price) needs her help to escape Russia and return home!
He shortly reveals that he's a British Spy trapped in a hostile Russia ans she is his only means of escape.
Terri is reluctant at first but realises he has nobody else to turn to and the fact that she quickly falls for him helps a little.
Before ...
Contains very strong language, and strong sex and violence
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United Kingdom
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
LIONS GATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT; ELEVATION SALES; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Aspect Ratio
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review
A brilliantly exciting untold story (Front Magazine, 10/01/2008)
DVD Description
In this heist film starring Jason Statham (THE TRANSPORTER), the mystery doesn't revolve around the robbery itself. Instead, when the thieves steal the contents of safe deposit boxes at a London bank, they uncover evidence of deceit and crime that reach all the way to the crown.
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