Hot Picks
|
|
|
Bandit
Canada 2022
produced by Eric Gozlan, Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman, Ryan Donnell Smith for Yale Productions, Goldrush Entertainment, Lucky 13 Productions
directed by Allan Ungar
starring Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert, Nestor Carbonell, Swen Temmel, Mel Gibson, Keith Arthur Bolden, Dylan Flashner, Olivia d'Abo, Michael H. Cole, Claire Bronson, Eric J. Little, Jessica Luza, Rachael Markarian, Leander Suleiman, Ian Hoch, Lorenzo Yearby, Chiara D'Ambrosio, Jacobi Hollingshed, Jason Vail, Ron Fallica, Ryan Cooper Thornton, Todd D'Amour, Christina Bach, Leslie Stratton, Dayna Beilenson, Jerry Ascione, George Adams, B.J. Winfrey, Greg Corbett, Megan Hayes
screenplay by Kraig Wenman, based on the novel The Flying Bandit by Robert Knuckle, Ed Arnold, music by Aaron Gilhuis
review by Mike Haberfelner
|
|
In the US, Robert (Josh Duhamel) was nothing but a small-fry crook, and
he got arrested eventually - but managed to escape from prison and make it
to Canada, where he assumed a new identity to try to turn a new leaf and
make a honest living. And he partly succeeds even when he starts a
relationship with Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert), a "good girl" by all
definitions of the word, and before long they move in together and he
impregnates her - and couldn't be happier to be a dad-to-be. On the other
hand though, on the job sector, Robert is much less successful, he even
loses his job as an icecream salesman through no fault of his own. But he
has noticed one thing, banks in Canada are much less guarded than in the
USA, and thus his first bank job goes without a hitch. So he comes up with
the idea to rob banks all over the country, using not brute force but a
combination of clever disguises, charm and sheer cockery to get the loot -
no millions mind you, just the several thousands tellers tend to have in
their drawers. But travelling all over the country is costly business, so
he approaches local crime kingpin Tommy (Mel Gibson) to sponsor him, and
the two become great friends before long. Of course, Robert hasn't told
Andrea about his true profession and claims he's a security expert, and
eventually she does find out what he really does to earn a living - and is
much less shocked than she ought to be, basically since banks have ruined
the lives of many friends and family members, and seeing how they're
insured it's a crime without victim, and seeing him at work one day really
excites her, so as long as he robs just banks, she's ok with it.
What they don't know of course, trying to crush Tommy's organization,
which works across state borders to escape prosecution, two cops (Nestor
Carbonell, Swen Temmel) have launched a national task force, and they're
hot on the heels of Tommy without him even knowing. They don't know
Robert's identity yet but have tied his robberies to Tommy, and know his
modus operandi, including where he's going to strike next - and at that
heist, not everything goes according to plan, plus pregnant Andrea's water
breaks ... Olivia D'Abo plays Tommy's girlfriend.
This film is based on the true story of (at least) 59-times
bankrobber Gilbert Gavan (a Canadian record), but fortunately it doesn't
show, instead the story has been in a rather very loveable blend of crime
drama and farce, told with a definite spring in his step, somewhat
resembling some of Martin Scorsese's best crime epics, not so much in
style but in pace and sheer entertainment value. And of course, a strong
cast who also seem to have a good time on this really helps making this
just really good genre entertainment, that despite its 2+ hours in length
seems to fly by in a breeze, with hardly a minute of boredom.
|
|
|