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Bandits 2001 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Barry Levinson
PG-13, 124 min. (some sexuality, profanity, violence) |
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Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Cate Blanchett, Troy Garity, Bobby Slayton
Producers: Ashok Amritraj, Michele Berk, Michael Birnbaum, Arnold Rifkin, Paula Weinstein
Screenplay: Harley Peyton
Cinematography: Dante Spinotti
Distributor: MGM
Released: 10.12.01 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
There seems to be some confusion over whether Bandits, the latest effort of director Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog), is a comedy,
a drama, or a caper flick with some obvious distractions along the way. In my opinion, it most likely falls into the romantic
comedy genre, simply because the story really has little to do with bank robbery (although it starts out that way) - it's really
about a love triangle that threatens the bond of two successful criminals. Although the film stretches itself a little thin, Levinson's
steadying hand keeps it from teetering off course, allowing Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett to drive the story
with their strong, engaging performances.
The story begins with the "Sleepover Bandits", the most successful bank robbers in U.S. history. Joe (Willis) and Terry (Thornton)
are former prison inmates that escape together and decide to rob banks to pay for their dream life - owning a resort in
southern Mexico. Terry comes up with a plan to kidnap a bank's president the night before a robbery and escort him/her to
the bank early the next day prior to its opening. After much success with this plan, Terry runs into (literally) Kate (Blanchett)
on his way back to meet Joe after a hiatus from a recent heist. Soon Kate is a member of the gang, falling first for Joe, then
Terry, then becoming the object of desire for both of them.
Kate has fallen for both men because they offer differing qualities that are attractive, although she'd rather have one man
with both qualities. Joe is strong, confident, and good-looking, while Terry is a hypochondriac with a soft heart. Soon, both
Joe and Terry will make their pitch to Kate to abandon the other and run off together. Unfortunately, Kate is torn and
decides it better to leave both of them, something that neither Joe or Terry can accept.
The film is obviously driven by the interaction of its three main characters, both when they're together and when they're apart.
The glue that holds them together is strongest when they are all together, but once they part ways, individually they begin
to fall apart. Once they all realize this, the film's conclusion (which is shaky at best) is just a formality.
The dialogue and strong performances by Thornton and Blanchett give the film more depth than it otherwise might have had -
has Thornton ever played any role the same way? He's a terrific actor, blessed with an ability to captivate an audience with
a presence that is difficult to put a finger on - he's just fun to watch. Of course Blanchett is always entertaining, and here she
pushes her part to the edge of believability without going over it.
Bandits is easy to recommend simply because it's one of the most entertaining films in recent memory. Sure, there
are problems with the film's identity crisis, long running length, and contrived conclusion, but it's not an unenjoyable few hours spent in the theater.
When confronted with the many poor choices at theaters today, Bandits is one film that definitely stands out.
© 2001 Jonathan Cornwell
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 |
 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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