THE BANK JOB

"I've got a job you might be interested in"

Terry (Statham) was a car dealer with a shady past but never really did enough to become one of the main players in London but in 1971 that was all going to change. When Martine (Burrows) walks back into his life, she offers him some information on a bank job that could make them millions. Little does he know that the job is actually a set up by the British Government so Martine can steal a set of compromising photographs of a member of the royal family stored in a safety deposit box by a local black supremacist.

There is one thing that you can say that the British film industry is good at and that is making crime movies but can 'The Bank Job' do enough to steal your interest?

There has been a renaissance for the British crime movie. Hits like 'Sexy Beast', 'Layer Cake', 'Gangster No.1', 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells', 'Snatch' and 'Eastern Promises' has seen a resurgence in the genre and one that has also produced many substandard imitations. It also became the main forte of the British Film Industry, second only to romance comedies starring Hugh Grant but as we head to the end of the 00s, is there enough interest in another crime movie set in the heart of London and surprisingly the answer is yes.

Written by the men behind British TV hits like 'The Likely Lads', 'Porridge' and 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet' and movies like 'The Commitments', 'Still Crazy' and 'Goal!', Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais provide a script that plays on the reality of the story and the London crime syndicates of the 1970s. The mix of historical facts, comedy, profanity and crime works well for the most part but, surprisingly for the dynamic writing duo, the characters are not as well developed as they should be. For writers who have created the likes of 'Fletcher', 'Bob and Terry' and 'Oz', this is the biggest surprise of the movie as most of the characters are stereotypical Londoners and upper class toffs.

Not having much to work with in the way of character development hasn't stopped the cast doing their best. Jason Statham has become Britain's biggest action star but it is easy to forget he started as cheeky, chappy London actor who got his big break in movie just like this and he returns to the genre like he has never been away. Saffron Burrows personifies the upper class totty of choice and Richard Lintern is slightly different MI5. Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, James Faulkner and Alki David play acceptable gang members and David Suchet has fun as local mob boss and pornographer Lew Vogel.

'The Bank Job' brings nothing new to the genre but it does provide enough to keep you interested until the final note is stolen. The fact that this is based around real events makes it slightly more watchable but fans of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais will be a little bit disappointed with the real lack of truly likeable characters that pull off the job.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

Audio Commentary with director Roger Donaldson, actress Saffron Burrows and composer J. Peter Robinson
The director, star and composer provide a chatty and informative track for 'The Bank Job'. With history about the robbery itself, how it came about and the changes that were made to the story, this is a track that fans will enjoy listening to.

Inside Bank Job (16.44 mins)
Director Roger Donaldson, executive producer George McInido, writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, producers Steve Chasman and Charles Raven and stars Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Peter De Jersey and Michael Jobson reveal how the movie came together, the director's influence and casting the picture.

The Baker Street Raid (14.17 mins)
Historians and film producers talk about the actual Baker Street bank job and how the film recreates that story. With comments on Michael X, crime scene photos from the robbery, the HAM radio and the possible Government involvement, this is a fascinating accompliment to the movie.

The Bank Job: World Premiere Parts 1 & 2 (22.21 mins)
Presenter Edith Bowman interviews the stars and filmmakers on the red carpet as 'The Bank Job' receives its world premiere in London. With an extended interview with Jason Statham, this offers the star to talk about his career and of course, the movie.

Deleted/Extended Scenes (8.05 mins)
With commentary by director Roger Donaldson, actress Saffron Burrows and composer J. Peter Robinson, they explain why these scenes were removed or chopped down.

Trailers
Previews of 'The Spirit', '3:10 to Yuma', 'Chaos' and 'The Kill Point'

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'The Bank Job' is one that is informative for this real life story. The featurettes are good and the commentary track is well worth a listen. Fans should enjoy these extras.

DVD

Snatch

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2008