Review by Joseph Salonga.
If Ocean’s 11 and Fight Club had a baby, it would be “How to Rob a Bank”, an in-your-face commentary on class warfare, wealth inequality, corporate greed, and social media, wrapped in a heist movie. It’s another action movie sprinkled with plenty of comedy easily delivered by director David Leitch (Bullet Train, Deadpool 2). And while this movie isn’t breaking any new ground, it definitely resonates with the common man on the heels of last week’s blue tsunami.
The movie follows a gang of five people who not only rob banks, but broadcast their escapades over social media as tutorials. The story jumps between the gang’s social media vids and reels experienced by the audience as obnoxiously loud and full of psychedelic visuals, and personal vignettes from each character’s real life, muted and quiet. Along the way, we meet an evil banker, an FBI agent set on capturing the bank robber, and the criminal-turned-consultant software genius, completing all the classic elements of our heist movie. There are enough twists that I can’t say more, although I wish those twists had been less traditional.
The recognizable names from the cast performed as expected, with Nicholas Hoult, Christian Slater, and Zoë Kravitz delivering as much as they could with what they had. Anna Sawai, Rhenzy Feliz, and Pete Davidson were delightful in their supporting roles, with extra kudos to Davidson for a realistic portrayal in what might be the film’s most heart-wrenching scene. But the real standout of this movie was John C. Reilly as FBI Agent West. In each interaction with another character, Reilly seamlessly goes from loving father figure to bumbling copper to trusted mentor, to both good and bad cop. Played with Reilly’s unique blend of empathy and comedy, Agent West makes for the most sympathetic anti-villain.
Leitch’s eye is evident in the action scenes, bringing a bit of that John Wick feel to the stunts and choreography, while also giving audiences some innovative perspectives and camera angles. I found myself holding my breath during a few scenes, followed by sudden silence and calm, allowing the characters and me a chance to breathe. The soundtrack generally punctuated the gang’s social media videos, invoking millennial rage and rebellion, an effective use of selections from Childish Gambino and Radiohead. And although the pacing of the movie felt right for a heist movie while watching, I was disappointed to realize that after two hours of runtime, I barely knew the characters. I’d hoped more time would be spent delving to the characters’ backgrounds and relationships, but I presume those were sacrificed to add another car chase.
I adored the scenes with Reilly and Kravitz, who displayed a chemistry I didn’t realize either was capable of delivering. A real give and take between mentor and mentee, an almost paternal relationship. I was hoping to see that same chemistry between Hoult and Sawai, but that never materialized, despite their relationship being a key story device. Overall, the movie brought action, comedy, unexpected twists, and tenderness together in a well-paced if slightly superficial way.
As a raging socialist, I was swept along by the film’s anti-capitalist plot. But I can see how a more normal viewer might find this movie preachy by the end. Still, the message is right and just, no matter the delivery. If you’re fed up with the state of the world, or just into heist movies, you’ll definitely get something out of this one. Catch it in theaters before it heads to the small screen.
4 stars out of 5
Be First to Comment