Bandits
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content, language and violence.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
Sometimes a movie has all the elements to be really great. Good performances from big stars. Interesting plot. Good writing. In the case of a comedy, lots of funny moments. But the one element that’s missing keeps the movie from being really satisfying. For “Bandits,” the missing element is pacing. With a little more editing, especially in the second half, it could have been a much better film.
Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thorton star as the “Odd Couple” in prison. At least, they start out in prison. But the impulsive, take-action Willis sees his chance for escape and the sensitive hypochondriac Thorton comes along for the ride. Against the odds, they actually get away and immediately begin robbing banks to support themselves. Their success stems from Thorton’s brains and Willis’s boldness. Together, they’re the perfect crime team. The actors have pretty good chemistry as a comedy team, as well.
With the help of an air-headed getaway driver who dreams of being a stunt man, the two hatch a scheme to better control the bank robbing environment. They show up (in ridiculous disguises) at a bank manager’s house late at night, holding him or her hostage until the next morning, then going with the manager to the bank early enough to get the cash without causing too much of a scene.
Soon tagged as “the sleepover bandits,” things are going great until Thorton’s character runs into a wacky housewife (Cate Blanchett) at the end of her rope and brings her to the hideout. Although a willing member of the gang, she draws attention to the bank robbers because she’s a missing person and thought to be a hostage. Of course, things are further complicated when both Willis and Thorton fall in love (and into bed) with the lady. Now the gang is threatened not only by the authorities who are getting closer and closer, but also by their sick love triangle.
This is one of those crime movies where the criminals are really nice guys who never actually hurt anyone. They carry on pleasant conversations with their victims, who often end up liking them. They’re just too funny to be scary (except for Willis’s hair, which is really scary). Willis and Cate Blanchett both do fine in their roles, but Billy Bob Thorton steals the movie with a hilarioius performance. He’s basically the “Odd Couple’s” Felix taken up a notch. But he’s completely believable in both his fear of disease and his resentful neediness for Willis’s character.
In addition to the pacing problem--which for me made the movie drag between funny moments the longer it went on--there’s also a “show you the ending at the beginning” device that ends up working against film. It gave me too much time to figure out the ending and kept me from being curious about what would happen next in the middle.
The worldview of “Bandits” is immoral on all counts. Not only does the housewife commit adultery against her clueless and self-involved husband. She does so with both men. And the robbers never consider that their actions are wrong or that they maybe shouldn’t be stealing. Worse, the movie works to get us rooting both for the adultery and the success of the robberies.
Yes, it’s just a movie. And some of it’s really funny. The danger is that our society has so lost its grip on right and wrong that it might never occur to us that adultery and stealing are wrong. We don’t want them to be wrong in a case like this. The question is, does that make it easier for us to forget that they’re wrong in real life?
If you see the movie, questions you can discuss with friends, parents, or just think about yourself:
• How do we really know if something is right or wrong? What’s the standard?
• Why is it so easy for us to root for people to do wrong in movies even when we know it wouldn’t be good in real life? Is that OK since it’s just a movie?
• Is it OK for someone to cheat on their spouse if that person is a bad husband or wife? Why or why not?
• What are some other “odd couples” from the movies?
Let us know what you thought of this review!