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THE BANK JOB: Jason Statham is in a good movie for a change! By Eric M. Harvey I am not in the growing cult of Jason Statham. I think he’s a passable action hero but he’s lacking a little something. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but after watching THE BANK JOB, I figured it out: humanity. Most films he’s been are soulless action-adventure pics heavy on the CGI. Here, in Roger Donaldson’s THE BANK JOB, Statham gets to throw off the cold, modern anti-hero and shine as a two-bit criminal with a good heart and a streak of luck. MovieWeb - Movie Photos, Videos & More Based on a true story, THE BANK JOB concerns Terry Leather (Statham), a dodgy used car salesman who gets involved in robbing a bank with an old flame, Martine (Saffron Burrows). The kicker is that Martine is working for a top British official who’s looking to head off a potential Royal scandal due to some pictures taken by a black militant (Peter De Jersey) that he keeps locked up in a bank safe deposit box. Terry puts together a well-cast team of criminal misfits and the heist goes over surprisingly well until it comes to light there’s more than one scandal that’s uncovered in that safety deposit vault, which sends all sorts of shady characters into overdrive to find the culprits. Due to Statham’s previous movies and the rise of the Guy Ritchie style heist-comedy genre, I was expecting very little. Had Roger Donaldson’s name not been attached, I more than likely would’ve passed on it. Donaldson’s career has been spotty but varied and he has turned out some enjoyable thrillers (NO WAY OUT, WHITE SANDS, and SPECIES). His intense 1981 feature SMASH PALACE helped put New Zealand on the cinematic map way before Peter Jackson came along. MovieWeb - Movie Photos, Videos & More I’d have to say Donaldson’s well-honed craftsmanship shows. THE BANK JOB is low on manic energy and is delightfully old-school in presentation. No hyper-kinetic editing, no shaky cam and an interesting cast with well-written characters, a rarity these days in American cinemas. THE BANK JOB never wears out its welcome and constantly entertains. More importantly, it shows a softer and human side of Statham most moviegoers aren’t familiar with, proving he can act when he’s not shooting or kicking people’s asses. However, his upcoming DEATH RACE looks like a step in the wrong direction. Let’s hope Statham gets another shot at a decent script in the near future.
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