Movie No. 17: "The Bank Job"

A good story, told well.

That's what is at the base of pretty much any good, narrative-driven film. The best ones obviously go a lot deeper than that, but at their base is still a good story, told well.

And that is exactly what the based-on-a-true-story heist film "The Bank Job" is. It's not a great film and no one element really stands out, but it is consistantly interesting, and sometimes that's enough.

Jason Statham stars as Terry Leather, a small-time crook and used-car dealer who is approached by ex-model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) about a potentially major score -- She's looking for a team to rob a set of safety deposit boxes, and sees Leather as the guy to lead it. What Leather doesn't know is the real reason behind the heist: a box filled with blackmail photos, including a rather scandalous shot of a member of the royal family. This being a British heist movie, it also including a cast of colorful characters ranging from a strip club owner to a black-power pimp to a cadre of corrupt cops and secretive Feds.

As seems to be the case with the few other British heist films I've seen, this one doesn't follow the same outline (or lack thereof) of their American counterparts. There's no Mametian surprises and double-crosses. There's no Ocean's 11-style "How are they going to pull that off" intrigue. Everyone's motives are plainly apparent from their first moment on screen. It's not about the twists and turns, it is simply about the ride, and director Roger Donaldson keeps the pacing at a reasonable level and just lets the story unfold. Sometimes no frills can be pretty darned effective.

B