Shadows on the Wall | How to Rob a Bank

How to Rob a Bank

dir David Leitch
scr Mark Bianculli
prd Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, Allan Mandelbaum, David Leitch, Kelly McCormick
with Nicholas Hoult, John C Reilly, Zoe Kravitz, Anna Sawai, Pete Davidson, Rhenzy Feliz, Christian Slater, Tati Gabrielle, Alessandra Frugoli, Evelyn Lucanish, Gloria Laino, Molly Miller
release US/UK 13.Nov.26
26/US MGM 2h02

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This raucously energetic action romp taps into the zeitgeist about the chasm between the wealthy and everyone else, but the script is just far too undercooked to breathe life into the plot or characters. Director David Leitch throws everything at the screen, so the whizzy set-pieces look almost as cool as the film thinks it is. And the adept cast adds some needed subtext to their thinly drawn roles.

In Pittsburgh, Ryan (Hoult) leads a gang of animal-masked thieves who become folk heroes thanks to their social media channel, which features lively videos of their exploits to redistribute wealth from banks to charitable causes. Struggling to catch up with them, FBI Agent West (Reilly) reaches out to hacker Reagan (Kravitz), who helps him figure out where the group is based. This puts pressure on Ryan, his wife (Sawai) and their cohorts (including Davidson and Feliz) as they prepare for their final robbery of the mega-bank managed by Walton (Slater). And this one is personal.

A blindingly kinetic style strains for the vacuous machismo of the Fast & Furious franchise while mixing in this group's viral, frenetically edited clips. This pulsating pace holds the interest even as scenes continually dodge away from anything that might add plausibility or meaning. Unlikely plot points are briskly brushed aside, characters are defined by one element per person, and all of this mayhem is driven by misplaced anger over the death of a 4-year-old son.

Thankfully, the engaging actors create the illusion of depth. Under his swagger, Hoult's haunted soulfulness creates a nice connection with Sawai, even if the writing and direction are superficial. As the earnest West, Reilly deploys his goofy bluster, making him sympathetic even though we're rooting against him. His scenes with the terrific but badly underused Kravitz are fun. And Davidson shines in a role that requires some emotion, even if the script milks it shamelessly.

It's frustrating that these superb actors are stranded in such thankless roles, because strong thematic ideas emerge along the way, as this band of outlaws takes on the billionaire class, rallying the public to action V for Vendetta style. The frustration of an uncaring financial system taking money from the working classes and handing it over to the elite is something that genuinely touches a nerve. So it's easy to see why this is set up as the beginning of a franchise. But it will need a far beefier script to take things further.

themes, language, violence 10.Nov.26

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