Bandits

Great movie. I watched it probably 10 times over those 15-16 years. More often recently than before. Do not get me wrong, I like other movies. But only very few I watched several times. This one is special somehow to me. It has a mood, it has a rhythm, it has great music score. Finally, it has a great cast with the perfect chemistry between them. For a very long time, I could not understand what makes me watch this movie once in a while even though I remember almost all dialogs. Today I got it! It is a sense of freedom, a sense of being an outlaw. Unlike classic westerns that describe a life long time ago, this is about current (almost current) times. Bandits live it in a modern world full of strict rules in which we live. We - not bandits - abide by these rules. How to keep up a credit score high, what to eat to minimize payments on life insurance, what renovation to do to the house to maximize its value, etc, etc. Bandits are not like us. They do not care about all this. They somehow care about more mundane things such as how not to get caught. That leaves plenty of time for them to interact with each other. It turns out they are much better with this than most of us. Bandits really are friends. It is not a love story by all means. Even though they had sex but it is still not about love. These are friends who play together. Their playtime is a little bit dangerous and adventurous -- robbing a bank -- but it is a play none the less. During the movie, something tells you that you would love to be there, to play with them if not only the consequences of being caught... Right. Gosh! I have to pay my electricity bill, I totally forgot.

Two compadres, Joe (Willis) and Terry (Thornton), go on a bank robbing spree adding unique, if not quirky, personalities, to their entourage as they go about their business in a most unusual, charismatic and polite manner. The "Over-Night Bandits" attract massive media attention for their oddly friendly style of dining and staying the night with their victims in order to assure a smooth transaction with those involved in getting to the money. Enter the attractive nutzy love-starved redhead, Kate (Blanchett), who threatens to come between the dynamic-duo's dreams of a new start in Mexico after one last big job as love and friendship collide, and Kate becomes deeply interwoven in their life of crime. Add in a rather unreliable if not distracted desert cowboy buddy, Harvey (Garity) and these characters make for precarious and unpredictable circumstances.Hilarious dialogue and situations, Willis' performance is charismatic as ever. Thornton clever minded if not the obsessive hypochondriac with introspective observations of life along the way. The ending was imaginative and unexpected, something so many directors fail to achieve, this one delivers without fail!You may wonder how this movie slipped by you without coming to your attention and garnering the accolades it deserved, but if we look at the release date, October 12, 2001, we realize, this film debuted only 1 month after our nation was still deeply in shock following the 9/11 attacks.Rated PG-13, this is a great Saturday night flick!

I don't want this to be a spoiler alert type of critique, but hey, what the hell...let's begin! No, it's a good movie based loosely on the hijinks of two actual criminals who put a twist on the art of robbing banks. Yes, there are parts in the movie that maybe should have been re-written a bit or just cut out entirely but there's no such thing as a perfect film and some of the criticisms of the other viewers are really nitpicking, to say the least! I would have really loved to see more character development between Bruce and Billy Bob, especially before their escape from prison, but as-is they have a really good relationship (despite their vast personality differences) and loyalty to each other, but it I'm sure it would have added some more insight into how they initially crossed paths. Troy Garity's character is hilariously dim witted and adds to the film's comedic appeal. Billy Bob's character seems to suit him quite well and Bruce Willis seems quite at ease with his and he pulls it off great. The only part I would have REALLY liked to have seen re-written was how cate's character and Bruce fall in love. It's really idiotic!! Cate leaves her husband for Willis over a cheesy '80s song by Bonny Tyler?? That was really stretching it, almost to the "gag me" point!!! And the parts that show Bruce and Billy Bob getting interviewed about the art of bank robbery by Bobby Slayton should have never been inserted into the film. In it's place I would've wanted more info into how the two met in the first place. But, despite these flaws, the film is absolutely great entertainment and the ending is sure to put a smile on your face!!

Absolutely love this movie and recommend it often. Everyone that I've told about it and they've seen it, love it too! Totally original, the story has it all, action, suspense, comedy, drama. Oh did I mention the actors?! I love Bruce Willis and I love him even more after this movie, tough bad boy, sexy, even with bad hair, sweet, smart....Billy Bob Thornton is hilarious! He really grows on you. And the beautiful Kate Blanchet is sexy, funny and adorable!Highly recommend this movie!