The Bank Job

In September 1971, thieves tunneled into a London bank vault, looted safe-deposit boxes of cash and jewelry (estimated at three million pounds), and apparently escaped scot free. Although the robbery initially made headlines, it quickly disappeared from the front pages, thanks to a top-secret government gag order. Roger Donaldson's latest thriller purports to tell the true story, which supposedly involved murder, corruption, and a sex scandal with links to the royal family. The Bank Job begins with aging model and amateur drug smuggler Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) persuading old friend and degenerate gambler Terry Leather (Jason Statham) to knock off a seemingly impenetrable vault located beneath a Baker Street bank. Badly needing cash, Terry quickly assembles a crew of willing incompetents, little realizing that Martine isn't interested in swag—she's after some damning photos being used for blackmail by an activist-cum-criminal sought by the government. Donaldson does a masterful job of establishing these characters with very little exposition, and generates both laughs and thrills in detailing how the inept burglars nearly bungle the job. But the heist isn't really the focal point of this story—the true tale lies in the aftermath. Tautly edited and brilliantly acted, The Bank Job is head and shoulders above most of the caper films released in recent years. Highly recommended. [Note: Available in single-disc and two-disc standard DVD editions, DVD extras on the two-disc set include audio commentary by director Roger Donaldson, costar Saffron Burrows, and composer J. Peter Robinson, an “Inside The Bank Job” (17 min.) behind-the-scenes featurette, “The Baker Street Bank Raid” on the real-life heist (15 min.), six minutes of deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary, and trailers. Also included is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid thriller.] (E. Hulse)