THE BANK JOB
Director: Roger Donaldson
Studio: Arclight FIlms
Principal Actors: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows
Running Time: 111 minutes
Rating: 14A
Released in Theatres: 7 March 2008

Reviewed By: Lauren Eldridge (Port Moody Correspondent - Canada)  

Set in England in the 1970s, The Bank Job is a suspenseful tale of a robbery gone awry and a decent bloke's attempt to make things right again. Jason Statham plays the role of Terry Leather, a small-time crook with a hefty debt. Offered a chance to rob the safe deposit boxes of a local bank with disreputable and dubious clientele, Terry and his chums band together to organize the heist of the hour. Based on a true story, the gang discovers humiliating and disgraceful photographs of a member of the Royal Family as well as several government officials, the incriminating ledger of a local porn king and his well-paid informants and bent coppers, and enough set-ups and betrayals to keep you guessing.

Jason Statham is the obvious choice for the lead role, considering his similar part in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He fulfills his character well, but Statham is becoming rapidly type-cast, which could potentially hinder his acting career. Saffron Burrows would not have been my choice for the lead woman, given her cold demeanour and static acting skills. A woman that would make Statham's head turn, even in terms of his character, should have been someone with more qualities than being taller than her male counterpart. The twist of Terry Leather having a family was certainly unexpected, and it gave the audience a reason to feel more compassionate about his situation and more invested in his fate. 

While several scenes feature brothels and amateur pornography, the more sensitive tug-of-war between Burrows' character and the wife of Terry Leather is not degraded by a sex scene between Burrows and Statham. Not knowing if they copulated proved Leather to be a better man for admitting the truth to his wife, even though he could have lied. One quickly becomes deeply involved in the more prominent members of the gang, especially when newlywed Eddie is also targeted for torture by the thugs of the porn king and bent copper payroll. The uncertainty of what truly happened lies in how truthful a rendition the film is, especially since much of what occurred is unknown or protected. 

All in all, the film was an evocative portrayal of the dangers amateur thieves can face when they play with the big boys. The audience finds themselves rooting for the good guys, but wondering why good is so relative when the bad guys had been good before. Fans of British television and film will have fun attempting to determine where they have seen certain actors before, and dialect phrases ensure that nothing about the English authenticity of this film will be considered "pear-shaped." With relatively low scenes of violence and relatively tame scenes of brothels, this crime-based suspense film will appeal to a wide range of audiences.