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"THE BANK JOB" (2008) (Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Moderate Extreme Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor Extreme Minor Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Heavy Heavy Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Drama: A model convinces her former lover to assemble a team to pull off a bank heist, with them realizing too late the repercussions of stealing the personal effects stored in the safe-deposit boxes they pilfer. PLOT: Terry Leather (JASON STATHAM) is a petty criminal and family man -- husband to Catherine (TAELOR SAMWAYS) and father to their two kids -- who runs a small auto shop, but owes a lot of money to someone whose thugs don't let him forget that. Accordingly, when his former lover, model Martine Love (SAFFRON BURROWS), comes to him with information about a potential bank heist, he's initially cautious, but soon likes the sound of the job. What he doesn't know, however, is that she's having an affair with Tim Everett (RICHARD LINTERN), an operative with Britain's MI5 intelligence agency who's actually the one behind the heist. It seems that Caribbean drug lord and black power figure Michael X (PETER DE JERSEY) is in the possession of some potentially embarrassing sex photos of Princess Margaret and is using them to blackmail the government to stay out of his business. With MI5 having one of its undercover agents, Gale Benson (HATTIE MORAHAN), working from the inside by becoming the lover to Michael X's associate, Hakim Jamal (COLIN SALMON), Tim has learned that the photos are locked away in a safe-deposit box in Lloyds Bank in London. And with Martine needing help with drug possession charges, Tim forces her hand in convincing Terry to take the job. With him needing the money to keep the debt goons at bay, he and his friends, amateur porn actor Dave Shilling (DANIEL MAYS) and photographer Kevin Swain (STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE) begin assembling their team. Tunnel expert Bambas (ALKI DAVID) will help in going underground from a nearby store -- leased by Guy Singer (JAMES FAULKNER) -- while Eddie Burton (MICHAEL JIBSON) will serve as the lookout from an adjacent roof. Despite the complications, however, the heist turns out to be the easy part, as the repercussions of their act progressively mount, from the local cops trying to solve the crime, to MI5 wanting their photos, Michael X angry about who stole them from him, and local smut peddler Lew Vogel (DAVID SUCHET) wanting to know who stole his incriminating client ledger from his safe-deposit box. As all of them come looking for the thieves, Terry tries to figure out how to handle all of that and more. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Teens might be interested, as might anyone who's a fan of someone in the cast or heist-based films. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For sexual content, nudity, violence and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JASON STATHAM plays the bank robbery leader who assembles a team for the job, cheats on his wife with Martine, uses strong profanity, drinks, and must contend with the unexpected repercussions of their criminal act. SAFFRON BURROWS plays his former lover (with whom he has another fling) who's currently Tim's lover. She needs his help to get off drug possession charges, and thus convinces Terry to assemble a team to pull off the heist. She smokes and drinks. STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE plays a photographer and team member who smokes and drinks, and makes fun of his friend Dave. DANIEL MAYS plays his friend, a former amateur porn actor who did such a film for Vogel in the past. He smokes, drinks, and uses profanity. JAMES FAULKNER plays a former military man who leases a nearby shop from which the team can tunnel to the bank. ALKI DAVID plays the tunnel expert on the team who smokes. MICHAEL JIBSON plays the team's lookout guy, positioned on a nearby roof with a walkie-talkie. He uses strong profanity and briefly smokes. RICHARD LINTERN plays a British spy official who agrees to resolve the sex scandal photo issue, and essentially coerces Martine into arranging a robbery of the bank where the photos are stored in a safe-deposit box. He briefly smokes and drinks, and uses some profanity. DAVID SUCHET plays a smut peddler who smokes and isn't happy that Terry's team has his potentially incriminating client ledger. He has people tortured for info, and has one killed. PETER DE JERSEY plays a Caribbean drug lord who blackmails the British government into keeping out of his business via scandalous sex photos he possesses of a British princess. He's also noted as being a pimp, slumlord and black power leader. He smokes and has a person killed. COLIN SALMON plays Michael X's criminal associate who sleeps with Gale. TAELOR SAMWAYS plays Terry's wife who isn't pleased with his criminal behavior and adulterous ways with Martine. HATTIE MORAHAN plays an undercover agent who sleeps with Hakim in hopes of uncovering important information about him and Michael X. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 28 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, as are views of sexual behavior and encounters (including S&M material), while nudity (breasts, butts) is also seen, including in a clip from an old porn flick featuring two women and one man. Violence includes several murders (by gunshot, slit throat, suffocation, hacked by a machete - but most of that occurs just off-screen), torture, and fighting (with brutal blows). Some of that has bloody results, and those scenes and moments of potential peril might be unsettling or suspenseful for some viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while characters smoke and/or drink, drugs are seen in a suitcase, and some drug-related comments are made. Some behavior may be enticing to imitate, while tense family material (a strained marriage due to infidelity and criminal behavior) is also present. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there is some handheld camera movement in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Terry talks of getting a couple of pints (of beer). We hear that Michael X is a drug lord and pimp. We see packs of drugs found in Martine's luggage at the airport. Terry, Martine and miscellaneous people drink in a pub. Michael X and others have wine. Terry, Kevin, Dave and others drink at a stag party. At a pre-S&M event, people have drinks. People have drinks at a party. Terry and his wife have wine. Michael X offers to send Vogel some "ganja" (pot), but the latter refuses, saying drugs are the source of their society's problems. Tim, Martine and others drink. Miscellaneous people drink in a pub where Terry has a beer. Gale comments on Michael X being involved with dope. Terry finds, opens, sprays and drinks from a bottle of champagne he finds in a safe-deposit box. Others then drink some as well. Martine sarcastically tells Tim that she'll make him a cocktail and they'll have a roll in the hay for old time's sake. Some minor characters drink. Various people drink at a wake. BLOOD/GORE Martine states that if her plan doesn't work, she's in "poo-poo land." About his job as the lookout on top of an adjacent building to the bank, Eddie wonders what happens if he has to go to the bathroom, with Terry sarcastically telling him to use his imagination. We see that Vogel's thugs have Dave tied up, and his face is bloody. He's being tortured for information, and that includes using a power washer on his ankle (that causes him great pain, we only see a little initial blood as his skin is presumably blasted away by that). Later, we see blood on his leg and the floor around that. We see partially dirt-covered body in a freshly dug grave. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Michael X (a drug lord and pimp) blackmails the British government (with sex photos) to stay out of his business. He later has someone killed. Representing MI5, Tim coerces Martine (in turn for getting her off drug possession charges) into convincing Terry and his crew to pull off the bank heist. Michael X grabs a man by the face and then has a slave collar around that man's neck, and refers to him as "whitey." Vogel is a smut peddler who also abducts, tortures, and has a man killed, all to find out who stole an important ledger from his safe-deposit box. Terry cheats on his wife with Martine, while the latter doesn't inform him of all the particulars of the plans behind the heist. Upset with a woman, a man says to her, "You conniving c*nt." FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. The crew finds very old skeletons down inside an old tunnel (we hear they were plague victims from the 1600s). Terry ends up accidentally falling through the floor of one tunnel down into an older one below it, but is unharmed. Martine goes to look inside the safe-deposit box room by herself, and Terry's voice startles her (while sudden music on the soundtrack might do the same to some viewers). The crew freezes in the safe-deposit box room as cops on the other side of the door want a bank president to open it (but he says he can't as it's on a timed lock). Eddie accidentally knocks his walkie-talkie off the roof and it breaks upon impact with the sidewalk below (thus meaning he can't communicate to the crew if anyone is coming and might catch them). We see that Vogel's thugs have Dave tied up, and his face is bloody. He's being tortured for information, and that includes using a power washer on his ankle (that causes him great pain, we only see a little initial blood as his skin is presumably blasted away by that). Later, we see blood on his leg and the floor around that. One of Vogel's thugs shoots one member of the bank crew in the head, killing him (we don't see the impact). Another crewmember is grabbed and a plastic bag is put around his head, and we see struggling (he's presumably suffocated). A man is grabbed and his neck is slit, but we don't see any blood. Having earlier caught her looking through his belongings (with her trying to play that off as finding something for Hakim), Michael X has that woman (who he believes is a spy) taken out to a jungle garden and thrown into a freshly dug grave, with one of his thugs then hacking her with a machete (we hear but don't see the impact). We later see her partially dirt-covered body in that grave. GUNS/WEAPONS Handgun/Knife/Machete: Used to attempt to or succeed at killing others. See "Violence" for details. Authorities enter a place with their guns drawn. Soldiers carrying machine guns arrest Michael X. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What the f*ck's it matter?" "F*ck it," "F*cking hell," "Oh f*ck," "Get the f*ck out of here," "We have no idea where the f*ck they are," "F*ck me" (nonsexual), "For f*ck's sake," "Either way we are f*cked," "F*ck if I know," "Sh*t-holes," "This is serious sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Before the sh*t hits the proverbial fan," "We're as expendable as dog-sh*t," "See if we give a sh*t," "What about this model you're screwing?" "I'm freezing my t*ts off up here" (said by a man), "You dumb pr*ck," "Christ, is that thing real?" (said about a penis in a porn film -- we don't see it), "You conniving c*nt," "Wanker," "Whitey," "Piss off," "Bloke," "Micks," "Bollocks," "I'm in poo-poo land," "Bloody hell," "Poor bastards," "You scared the piss out of me," "How does she know who the hell we are?" "Where the hell are you?" "Who the bloody hell does he think he is?" "We're in the crapper," "You can bet your bollocks we're serious," "I thought he was a wanker," "You bastard," "Bugger" (person), "Pissed off" and "You were worried for your own ass." The film might inspire some kids to try to pull off some sort of heist. JUMP SCENES Terry ends up accidentally falling through the floor of one tunnel down into an older one below it, but is unharmed. Martine goes to look inside the safe-deposit box room by herself, and Terry's voice startles her (while sudden music on the soundtrack might do the same to some viewers). MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Some may view some of the lyrics to the song "Bang a Gong" ("You're dirty, sweet and you're my girl," "Get it on, bang a gong, get it on") as possibly sexual in nature. PROFANITY At least 28 "f" words, 19 "s" words, 4 slang terms using male genitals ("c*ck," "pr*ck" and "pinky"), 1 using female ones ("c*nt"), 1 for sex ("screwing"), 1 for breasts ("t*ts"), 7 hells, 3 asses, 3 wankers, 2 bollocks, 1 crap (as in "crapper"), 3 uses of "Oh my God," 2 each of "Christ" and "Oh God" and 1 use each of "For God's sakes," "My God," "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ." SEX/NUDITY We see an underwater view of a bare-breasted woman, a guy playfully trying to pull off her or another woman's bikini bottom, and another woman in a bikini. We then see glimpses of a three-way sexual encounter, including caressing, kissing and more bare breasts, while we also hear sexual sounds, but no view of intercourse, while a person outside the windows snaps some photos. We later learn that Michael X has those photos of the sexual encounter -- that involves a royal Princess -- in his possession. Some may view some of the lyrics to the song "Bang a Gong" ("You're dirty, sweet and you're my girl," "Get it on, bang a gong, get it on") as possibly sexual in nature. We hear that Michael X is a drug lord and pimp. We see Martine in her bra in an apparent strip search at an airport. Tim and Martine passionately kiss while going into her home. We see Hakim with Gale who's in her panties, which then come down. Other undressing occurs and we see her bare back, a slight view of the side of her bare breast, and then her up on him, standing, having sex. We see strippers/dancers wearing just tassels up top at a stag party, including one such woman who squats down over a guy. About others at a party, Vogel complains that they're loud, lewd, and expect oral sex. We see an older male government official, Lord Drysdale, at a party where bare-breasted women walk around as "formal" waitresses in garters and thongs. Later, we see that man strung up and cuffed in an S&M fashion for some sexual flogging by a scantly clad woman. Dave admits he did a porn film for Vogel in the past, with Kevin being surprised and making a comment about a 12-inch (something) in Dave's pants (with Dave saying that's nothing to be ashamed of). We see advertisement signs for peep shows, viewing booths and such. Tim's boss asks him, "What about this model you're screwing?" About Eddie complaining about it being cold as the lookout, Guy comments on them pulling on (a slang term for their) privates to keep warm back in the service. Martine tells Terry about another man that it came down to some Chinese meals and "a roll in the hay," but that was it, and it happened a long time ago. The two then passionately kiss. We see photos of the bare-breasted princess (from the above sex scene). As the crew splits up after the job, Kevin jokes that he thought Dave was headed off to Copenhagen to have his "c*ck" shortened. Dave then jokes that whatever they take off can be added to Kevin's "pinky." A man holds up a pair of panties found in a safe-deposit box and reads the note that says they were never washed after that woman's "magic moment" with someone else. Martine sarcastically tells Tim that she'll make him a cocktail and they'll have a roll in the hay for old time's sake. A nude woman gets out of bed with Michael X (we see her bare breasts and a brief view of her bare butt). As some men watch Dave's old porn film, we hear one ask, "Christ, is that thing real?" We see footage from that film that shows Dave with two bare-breasted women, but we don't see his genitals or any actual sex. Terry's wife asks if he slept with Martine, and she gets her answer when he doesn't reply. The camera briefly focuses on the cleavage of a porn star. We see Terry shirtless. SMOKING Martine, Dave, Kevin, Michael X and Lew (cigar) each smoke several times, while Bambas, Tim, Eddie and some minor/miscellaneous characters each smoke at least once. Martine tells Terry she's going to a pub to pick up some smokes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Terry's criminal activities and adulterous ways put a strain on his marriage to his wife. Terry's wife asks if he slept with Martine, and she gets her answer when he doesn't reply. She then slaps, hits and pushes him back, with one of their kids at the door, yelling and banging in fright over their parents loudly arguing and fighting. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The historical accuracy and/or artistic license taken with this true-life story. How no criminal plans are foolproof. How one's sexual behavior can come back to haunt them later. VIOLENCE Some thugs use a crowbar or similar tool to bust a windshield, bash a hood, and break out a car window, all to intimidate Terry. Michael X grabs a man by the face and then has a slave collar around that man's neck, and refers to him as "whitey." Terry ends up accidentally falling through the floor of one tunnel down into an older one below it, but is unharmed. We see that Vogel's thugs have Dave tied up, and his face is bloody. He's being tortured for information, and that includes using a power washer on his ankle (that causes him great pain, we only see a little initial blood as his skin is presumably blasted away by that). Later, we see blood on his leg and the floor around that. Some goons grab Eddie. One of Vogel's thugs shoots one member of the bank crew in the head, killing him (we don't see the impact). Another crewmember is grabbed and a plastic bag is put around his head, and we see struggling (he's presumably suffocated). A man is grabbed and his neck is slit, but we don't see any blood. Terry's wife asks if he slept with Martine, and she gets her answer when he doesn't reply. She then slaps, hits and pushes him back. Having earlier caught her looking through his belongings (with her trying to play that off as finding something for Hakim), Michael X has that woman (who he believes is a spy) taken out to a jungle garden and thrown into a freshly dug grave, with one of his thugs then hacking her with a machete (we hear but don't see the impact). We later see her partially dirt-covered body in that grave. A thug has Eddie's arm bent behind him, walking him along, causing him pain. Terry punches, trips, and then repeatedly kicks Vogel. He then punches one of Vogel's thugs and avoids gunfire from a third. He then hits that third man with a brick, the two struggle and exchange blows, and that man's gun goes off. Terry then head-butts that man. Soldiers set fire to Michael X's jungle house. While on vacation, Terry spears a fish (no blood). Reviewed February 14, 2008 / Posted March 7, 2008

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