There is a unique novelty to the concept of a heist film. Having a group of people band together to knock off a bank is a great blueprint for escapist film fun. The Bank Job stands as a solid example of a good heist film. It has an exciting scheme, several shocking twists and turns, and a well-developed group of characters.

Set in London during the 1970s, The Bank Job sees a group of friends enticed into robbing a bank by a friend of theirs named Martine. What they are not aware of is that Martine is being forced to rob the bank by members of the English government. Those government officials are attempting to get back incriminating photos of British Royal Princess Margaret, photos that they believe to be in a safety deposit box at the bank. As the group plans the heist, things begin to get out of hand and before long all hell has broken loose as a host of complications arise.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is that it is based on true events. There really was a bank heist that took place in London during that time period and many of the details in film are truthful to the actual events. Yet there are indeed many elements in the film that are inferred or just plain fabricated. The full details surrounding the real life case are very much a mystery as much of the information is classified. Therefore the filmmakers had to add some elements of fiction in order to get a complete story.

But reality vs. fiction aside, the movie succeeds in being an entertaining affair. The action and excitement is balanced out nicely with scenes heavy on character development. The filmmakers do a nice job of making you emotionally investing in the characters, which really helps the later half of the film as you find yourself feeling for the characters as things start to get crazy.

If you are looking for an exciting movie that isn’t afraid to do some character developing then check out The Bank Job. But please do bare in mind that it is not a passive viewing experience and that some degree of focus must be applied in order to fully comprehend the story.