8/10While it’s a sweeping
generalisation, certain national cinemas seem to have particular
niches. The French do romance particularly well; the Swedes, coming-of-age
tales; the Chinese, historical epics. And the Brits seem to excel
at gritty crime dramas, of which The Bank Job is yet
another fine example.
Some might argue that with Australian director Roger Donaldson
at the helm, this probably shouldn’t be considered a British
film at all. But Donaldson, who seems to ply his trade all around
the world, demonstrates his versatility and creativity with this
engaging and tense film.
Donaldson’s previous film was The World’s
Fastest Indian, which was set in the 1960s. Here, the film
is set in the early 1970s, and the director and his crew do a
great job in recreating the feel of the era. And like The
World’s Fastest Indian, Donaldson is working from real-life
events, namely the 1971 robbery of the Barclay’s Bank in
London’s Baker Street.
What Donaldson and the screenwriting team of Dick
Clement and Ian La Frenais have done is to fill in (speculatively,
I hasten to add) the mystery surrounding that incident. The events
surrounding the real robbery have been (and still are) suppressed
by a “D Notice” issued by the British government at
the time. As the film makes clear, it’s not even clear who
pulled the job, let alone what their motivations were or what
happened to them.
Clip from the film
What the film posits is a web of intrigue and conspiracy
reaching to the highest levels of British society. Whether what
it suggests is true or not isn’t the point – the point
is it makes for great entertainment.
The main protagonist is Terry (Jason Statham), a
low-level crim trying to make an honest go in legitimate business,
but struggling to make ends meet. He’s waylaid by the seductive
Martine (Saffron Burrows) – an old flame – who proposes
a job for him that has the potential to free Terry from his woes.
It involves tunnelling into the vault of the Barclay’s Bank
and taking the contents of safe deposit boxes. What Martine omits
to tell Terry and his crew is that she’s been put up to
this by her sometime lover Tim Everett (Richard Lintern), an ambitious
bureaucrat. Turns out Tim and Martine are interested in the contents
of one particular box; a box belonging to black power advocate
Michael X (Peter De Jersey) which contains something far more
valuable than mere money or jewellery.
Along
the way of this rollercoaster ride of a film there’s political
backstabbing, callous murder, bungling police work, spies, fakes,
sleazy businessmen, adult film stars and a good dose of romantic
tension. It’s a heady mix, and one that Donaldson handles
with great assurance and more than a little aplomb.
In the lead role, Jason Statham returns to his roots
somewhat. The actor of course made his name in Lock, Stock
and Two Smoking Barrels, which this film resembles in a passing
way (it’s actually got more in common with the original
versions of films like The Italian Job). Here, he’s
effective (if perhaps not 100% convincing) as the good bloke caught
up in something much bigger than he expected. Saffron Burrows
seems ageless, and is predictably enticing as the willowy Martine.
Of the myriad supporting cast, Daniel Mays is excellent as the
rather clueless Dave; Richard Lintern suitably creepy as Everett
and Peter Bowles nicely uppity as his superior.
The British film industry is turning out some fine
product at the moment, and The Bank Job is up there with
the best of them. This is a rollicking and involving film that
will have you constantly guessing at its next wild turn; making
it definitely a ride worth taking.
Along
the way of this rollercoaster ride of a film there’s political
backstabbing, callous murder, bungling police work, spies, fakes,
sleazy businessmen, adult film stars and a good dose of romantic
tension. It’s a heady mix, and one that Donaldson handles
with great assurance and more than a little aplomb.