Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis, Cate Blanchett

Two bank robbers fall in love with the girl they've kidnapped.

Flixster Users

58% liked it

53,042 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

135 critics

PG-13, 123 min.

Directed by: Barry Levinson

Release Date: October 12, 2001

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DVD Release Date: April 2, 2002

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Stats: 1,625 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,625)


  • August 23, 2009
    Pretty dumb. Disappointing, considering the cast is a good one.
  • February 7, 2009
    "Two's Company, Three's A Crime."

    Two bank robbers fall in love with the girl they've kidnapped.

    REVIEW
    Bandits is a fun film high on average laughs and low on most other things, although I thought Cate Blanchett's performance was pretty good, and act...( read more)ually Billy Bob Thornton was hilarious. Bruce Willis does his usual cool act. The story isn't too deep, so don't watch this if you want something thats going to make you think, but it is definitely an amusing premise, and the odd clever moments serve well enough to raise extra smiles. The direction from Barry Levinson is interesting, but really it's just average stuff, no bounderies are pushed, nothing too daring is attempted. Overall there isn't really much to this, but who cares? It's just for fun. Kick back after a hard days work and just enjoy this entertaining flick.
  • January 18, 2009
    Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton stage a jailbreak and go on a bank robbing spree. This comedy-thriller from Barry Levinson is from the "armed robbers are just a bunch of cuddly, lovable rogues who don't really want to hurt anyone and are just doing one more job before they re...( read more)tire" school. It starts OK, and there's some chemistry between Willis and Thornton, although the neurosis schtick seemed like a bit of an excuse for cheap laughs. Then their driver appears, who is played like Forrest Gump's dumber brother followed by Cate Blanchett's forced kookiness and the laughs just get cheaper and cheaper culminating in hilarious comedy disguises and silly wigs. By this point my patience was exhausted so I switched off, but if the twist is as obvious as it seemed to be I doubt there's anything in the last 45 minutes that warrants elevation from a mildly irritating 2.
  • July 11, 2008
    really good robbery flick, clever ending
  • June 25, 2008
    Love this film -still hillarious after tens of times having watched it. Thornton steals the thunder in this black comedy. A masterpiece of directing skills.
  • September 13, 2009
    I loved this movie because I thought it was very clever and surprising. I love the actors in this movie and I totally loved the story and the twists. The story is about 2 bank robbers who get accomnpanied by a lonely woman whom they both later fall in love with. This really is a ...( read more)must see movie.
  • September 10, 2009
    A good surprise!
    (Even if a good film starring my hero never is a surprise in fact).

    I dislike Billy Bob, but he anyways didn't annoy me at all in this movie.
    I maybe even have been surprised by him.
    I anyways can't understand how Angelina Jolie can have been married 3 years wit...( read more)h him.
    Neither I understand how she can have loved some others of her ex.
    Brad is far away to be perfect (as every human is), but anyways, it's like she passed from toads to the prince.
    Lmfao
    XD

    Otherways, the very talented and pretty Cate Blanchett (and the beautiful January Jones too) make the feminine cast be a bit under the masculine one, although the so powerful in all the ways BW.

    The story is anyway hard to follow, catch, by moments.
    So, I saw it alone in theatre, but when I bought it on DVD and showed it to my mother, she asked me explainations several times, although sh'e pretty intelligent.
    But as people often complain about the movies missing a complex scripts, they should be happy with this one.
    I love those complex movies (like the Matrix series for example), but I love as much some films where the script is a pretext to link the fights.
    No matter, during the time I'm entertained!
  • August 8, 2009
    One of the worst movies I've ever seen.....
  • June 23, 2009
    The concept, I like. But not really a fan of Bruce Willis, and Billy Bob Thornton is just scary. Cate Blanchett is totally wonderful, as she usually is.
  • June 22, 2009
    Funny. Nice performances

Critic Reviews


October 18, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

What started as cute becomes cloying and bloated. full review

October 12, 2001
David Edelstein, Slate

Levinson must think he's on safe ground morally by keeping Bandits bloodless, as if the absence of carnage somehow makes kidnapping and armed robbery wholesome. full review

October 12, 2001
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton may be the bank robbers in Barry Levinson's likable comedy Bandits, but Cate Blanchett is the real thief. full review

October 12, 2001
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Bandits isn't any better than a good formula picture -- it isn't incisive or memorable, just light and amusing -- but it's different. full review

October 12, 2001
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Connects often enough for serviceable value-for-dollar entertainment. full review

October 12, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

So determined to be clever and whimsical that it neglects to be anything else. full review

October 11, 2001
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Like the public that can't get enough of the bandits' antics, one can't help but root for this pleasantly escapist movie. full review

View more Bandits reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • randycabrera
    January 11, 2007
    Billy sure have a lot of problem with himself.I like the part when their were robbing the last bank cos i really have been fooled for their tricks.LOL...

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Bandits Trivia


  • In Home Alone 2 what title does Marv give Harry and himself to replace the WetBandits from Home Alone?  Answer »
  • What movie is this from? " And if this makes it to the front page, we're the sticky bandits, that's S-T..." "I!" " oh yeah! I-C-K-Y..."  Answer »
  • In Home Alone, what does Kevin's dad pick up off the floor at the end of the movie?  Answer »
  • In which hilarious movie did a unique duo/trio of robbers kidnap the manager of the bank the night before the robbery, earning the nickname "The Sleepover Bandits"?  Answer »

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