Bandits (2001)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  Bandits is the story of two criminals who one day impulsively escape from prison and decided to embark on a series of bank robberies to fund their plan of retiring in paradise down in Mexico. Joe (Willis) is the more charismatic and cool one, while Terry (Thornton) is a neurotic,… More
  Bandits is the story of two criminals who one day impulsively escape from prison and decided to embark on a series of bank robberies to fund their plan of retiring in paradise down in Mexico. Joe (Willis) is the more charismatic and cool one, while Terry (Thornton) is a neurotic, hypochondriac with a number of quirks and phobias, one of which (fear of antique furniture) is something Thornton deals with in real life. Joe and Terry enlist the help of Joe's goofy aspiring stunt man relative Harvey (Garity) to be their get away driver. It's not long before the criminals become media sensations dubbed the Sleepover Banditss due to their M.O. of putting the managers of the targeted banks on house arrest the night before the job. Things go fine enough until a chance encounter with a distraught, bored, and desperae runaway housewife named Kate (Blanchett) tags along, getting into an awkward love triangle with Joe and Terry that could threaten to really throw things off balance. PLotwise, there's a few nice little twists, turns, and touches that help the movie stand out a bit. Mostly though, it's just a little standard. The film tries to be a crime dramedy, but more often than not, it's seems unsure of what it really wants to be, becoming meandering, uneven tonally, and unfocused. Also, the film is structed as a flash back flashforward frame story, and, while it doesn't ruin the film, it doesn't keep it from getting bloated either. The plot device with the America's Most Wanted style show seems like it's aiming for satire, but mostly reminded me of Natural Born Killers which did the same sort of thing, and far better. I enjoyed this movie. It's fun, entertaining, has some decent location shooting in Oregon, good cinematography from veteran Dante Spinotti, and some solid performances from the likeable and talented cast. None of the work these people put in ranks among their respective bests, but they're all still solid nonetheless. I liked the quirkiness and the banter, but the movie seemed like it was trying too hard. Plus, I think Levinson had some really good ideas, but decided to use them all, resulting in a movie that should be tighter and more concise, but isn't. All in all, this is a flawed movie, but it's well meaning. I've seen far more derivative capers than this, and, even though this one has issues, thankfully the cnematogrpahy, locations, and performances are strong enough to carry it. This really could have been something quite terrific. Instead it's merely just "not bad". Still though, it's got enough good stuff to warrant a viewing.

• Clintus M

  
  Bandits is an action comedy/crime thriller/romance movie starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett in their funniest roles ever. The film takes a true story about unusual bank robbers and throws a silly romantic comedy twist on it with greatly entertaining results.… More
  Bandits is an action comedy/crime thriller/romance movie starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett in their funniest roles ever. The film takes a true story about unusual bank robbers and throws a silly romantic comedy twist on it with greatly entertaining results. Willis is a combination of daredevil and brooding loner; I can't see anyone else playing the role as well. Thornton plays the funniest, most neurotic criminal ever, and Blanchett provides the goofy, sexy center of this unlikely love triangle. The script by veteran Harley Peyton is clever but perhaps stretches everything too far. The direction by Barry Levinson is quirky like the film, channeling Woody Allen somewhat. In the media frenzy which envelopes the criminal trio, complications and hilarity of course ensue. How will their scheme play out? Who will Cate choose? It's a terrific surprise ending, and I won't tell, but you'll find yourself rooting for the "Sleepover Bandits."

• Anthony L

  
  Barry Levinson used to be a good director, I think Bandits was the beginning of his demise. Visually it's a good film, the story is solid and the editing is rather clever, it just lacks direction. The acting is not great, in fact the performances are really bad and quite annoying… More
  Barry Levinson used to be a good director, I think Bandits was the beginning of his demise. Visually it's a good film, the story is solid and the editing is rather clever, it just lacks direction. The acting is not great, in fact the performances are really bad and quite annoying and the supporting cast are just plain awful. A real wasted opportunity I feel and definitely one to cross off the CV for everyone associated!

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Two's Company, Three's A Crime."</i> Two bank robbers fall in love with the girl they've kidnapped. <b><u>REVIEW</u></b> Bandits is a fun film high on average laughs and low on most other things, although I… More
  <i>"Two's Company, Three's A Crime."</i> Two bank robbers fall in love with the girl they've kidnapped. <b><u>REVIEW</u></b> 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 actually 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.

• xGary X

  
  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… More
  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 retire" 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.

• danny d

  
  really good robbery flick, clever ending

• Al S

  
  An outragiously funny comedy. A brilliant, slick, stylish and terifficllay fun film. Well developed chracters and plot. Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thorton are fantastic. Their a great team. Their chemistry shines throughout showing they make all the right moves. One of the best buddy… More
  An outragiously funny comedy. A brilliant, slick, stylish and terifficllay fun film. Well developed chracters and plot. Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thorton are fantastic. Their a great team. Their chemistry shines throughout showing they make all the right moves. One of the best buddy comedies in years. A wonderful movie.

• Lady D

  
  A funny unlikely action comedy. I thought at the beginning I may have found my first film where Billy Bob wasn't too great, but soon changed my mind, when he became more and more humourous throughout. This is the first time I have seen Cate Blanchett in a comedy role and… More
  A funny unlikely action comedy. I thought at the beginning I may have found my first film where Billy Bob wasn't too great, but soon changed my mind, when he became more and more humourous throughout. This is the first time I have seen Cate Blanchett in a comedy role and think she did equally as well as her more serious roles. Very entertaining and a really enjoyable film.

• Jens S

  
  Two modern Robin Hoods, one charming and handsome, the other hypochondriac but smart, becoming famous bank robbers through big media coverage. With a housewife becoming their hostage, accomplice and love affair things get complicated, of course. There is a great chemistry between… More
  Two modern Robin Hoods, one charming and handsome, the other hypochondriac but smart, becoming famous bank robbers through big media coverage. With a housewife becoming their hostage, accomplice and love affair things get complicated, of course. There is a great chemistry between Willis and Thornton, their dialoges flow pretty well and Cate Blanchett is just fantastic as gorgeous Bonnie-Tyler-singalong. Sadly, the conclusion seemed a bit obvious to me especially for such an easy-going movie but still was kinda neat. However, most of the movie is really entertaining and while not entirely new or exciting still worth checking out for fans of heist movies or the stars.

• Candy R

  
  Good cast. Movie about robbers who take people hostage.

• Dean !

  
  Unfortunately one of those films where the trailer makes it look great, only for the film to be no where near as good. Very little happens in the whole film.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  i love this movie, it combines comedy, drama, action, an amazing cast, including bruce willis, billy bob thornton, my favorite actress cate blanchett and troy garity, great road movie!

• Ross C

  
  A clever script and good comedy make this film a good modern bank robbery crime caper

• Aaron N

  
  Terry: You know the hardest thing about being smart? Joe: No. Terry: I always pretty much know what's gonna happen next. There's no suspense. A fun comedy about two guys, who broke out of jail and decide to head to mexico while robbing banks on the way. But there method… More
  Terry: You know the hardest thing about being smart? Joe: No. Terry: I always pretty much know what's gonna happen next. There's no suspense. A fun comedy about two guys, who broke out of jail and decide to head to mexico while robbing banks on the way. But there method involves taking the bank managers hostage the night before and sleeping at their house, only to rob the bank in the morning. Cate Blanchett joins the gange eventually as a disillusioned housewife, causing more trouble in the way of love for these bandits. Bruce Willis is in cool mode most of the movie and Billy Bob is good as a worrier with lots of ticks. A little loing, but a lot of humor and a fun story keeps it going.

• Michael G

  
  Great performances and a great story.

• Dean M

  
  Bruce Willis makes all the right moves as the man with the perfect bank-robbing plan - and two imperfect partners - in this terrific action-comedy film.

• Luke B

  
  A film I found to lack much comedy or charm. The characters are not particularly that likeable, and the acting is so-so. Only really one laugh out loud moment "Beavers and Ducks"

• Steven V

  
  Bandits starts out as a slick action-comedy and evolves into a sweet romantic comedy. Normally, a movie like this would be consisted of cut-and-dry, stereotypical characters, but we gradually fall in love these three characters. <i>Bruce Willis</i> and <i>Billy Bob… More
  Bandits starts out as a slick action-comedy and evolves into a sweet romantic comedy. Normally, a movie like this would be consisted of cut-and-dry, stereotypical characters, but we gradually fall in love these three characters. <i>Bruce Willis</i> and <i>Billy Bob Thornton</i> make a great team--they really have an impeccable chemistry. The twist ending is nifty and unpredictable.

• Naughtia N

  
  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 must… More
  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 must see movie.

• Joseph E

  
  [after having been shot at and chased by police] Terry: May I please go back to prison? This film is only MILDLY funny. it isn't very enganging. It can be rather emotiionaly boring. Either way, you sort of admire it's charm, but loathe it's lack of brain cells.… More
  [after having been shot at and chased by police] Terry: May I please go back to prison? This film is only MILDLY funny. it isn't very enganging. It can be rather emotiionaly boring. Either way, you sort of admire it's charm, but loathe it's lack of brain cells. Kate: You can't just step in front of a moving car and expect it to stop! Terry: Yes you can! I've seen it done! The dialouge speaks wonders for it's brain capacity.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings