"The Bank Job"
One of the most famous robberies in the history of London is turned into one of the most entertaining heist movies of the decade in "The Bank Job." This role is a fastball down the middle for Jason Statham. He plays Terry, the kind of guy who can win a bar fight without spilling his drink. Terry’s also a small-time crook and family man with financial woes. It’s 1971, and he’s presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.
Saffron Burrows plays Martine, a former model who’s now mixed up in all sorts of high-level intrigue. She’s working with the British Secret Service as a sort of double agent. Or is it a triple agent? She’s also having an affair with an MI5 operative played by Richard Lintern.
"The Bank Job" is helmed by the veteran Roger Donaldson, whose work includes the excellent "Thirteen Days" and "No Way Out," and crap like "Cocktail." He’s in prime form here in a film that strikes just the right balance. It works as cheeky crime caper, a character study, a story of political scandal and a sometimes-violent action thriller. Although it’s based on true events and it includes portraits of actual characters, "The Bank Job" is a work of speculative fiction. In real life, there’s a lot we still don’t know about the details of the crime. In the movie, we’re almost overwhelmed by the complexity of the plot. But it all ties together in immensely satisfying fashion. I enjoyed the hell out of this movie.