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 Bandits
Buy
It
Starring:
Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Jim Joe Thornton, Cate Blanchett,
and Troy Garity
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Rated: R
Absolutely
hysterical. A Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for this
generation!
Billy
Bob Thornton's delivery of one-liners disguised, as banter, is
mesmerizing. In less capable hands we could have had a clunker
of tremendous proportions streaming upon the screen.
Bruce Willis' forever-cocky smirk was a signature for his character,
though a tad reminiscent of his Whole Nine Yards role.
Cate Blanchett, ah, Cate this woman is a chameleon of actors.
She is as comfortable as Elisabeth, a queen trying to keep control,
or Annie a woman who's psychic abilities nearly ruin her life,
in The Gift as here in Bandits as a neurotic sidekick
played with depth and a gracious comedic delivery.
Bandits
is about Terry (Billy Bob Thornton) and Joe (Bruce Willis). They're
good old-fashioned bank robbers. The kind that break outta prison
and start robbin' immediately. They roll in wearing proper disguises,
grab the dough, make a few threats for good measure and skeedattle.
They
do have a quirk- naturally. Theirs is they storm into the
designated bank's manager's home the night before the robbery
and spend the night. They discuss the all clear signs, the vault
setups etc. The next morning they take the manger and his family
for a stroll into the bank and perform the robbery- nice and calm.
This odd pre-robbery slumber party and "getting to know"
the bank management approach has given the boys the moniker of
"Sleep-over Bandits" by an America's Most Wanted-esque
reporter (Bobby "stand-up guy" Slayton).
Terry
and Joe aren't just random theives...they have dreams of using
all their hard stolen loot to get them a hotel and restaurant
establishment in the hideout capitol of the world, Mexico.
Their
plans are going smooth as Vince Vaughn's
stare, as they, along with their "lookout" fellow (Troy
-mansteak in waiting-Garity), continue to rob and gather, rob
and gather, till car trouble for Terry, en route to the next rendezvous,
has all their fates twisting into a scene from It Happened
One Night meets The Apple Dumpling Gang directed by
Barry Levinson.
Terry
gets a lift from distraught- on-the- edge- of-self-destruction
housewife Cate (Cate Blanchett). He's kind of abducted in a control
reversal scene and she's tagging along for the ride.
Hearts start fluttering and the imperious love triangle rears
its magnificently orchestrated head. Together, as Cate discovers,
Joe and Terry do make a perfect man- who could blame a gal for
falling for both?
Now
what's the most infamous robbery team since Bonnie and Clyde going
to do? Maybe one last job then they can all go there separate
ways...
 Bruce
Willis is aging well. Yumsicles still drip from his fit manly
frame. I'd go on the lamb with him, on the bearskin rug, heck
the down comforter for that matter…He's comfortable as this
Joe and it shows. Strong cast and strong dialog combined with
great direction work well with him.
Billy
Bob's a genius (his dumbing up Annie from The
Gift aside). I think the guy's genius. Not just in his ability
to morph with every role he selects into that barely recognizable
man beneath the façade that actor's work their whole lives
to obtain, but for his manipulation of the press with his outlandish
interviews and hi jinx. I suspect there's some truth in his eccentricities
but hardly as deep or as down right whacked as he'd wish us to
believe. I actually own two copies of Simple Plan in case
somebody doesn't return one when borrowed. It's really a stellar
performance, a redundant sentence when reviewing B.B. Billy Bob's
Terry is a nutcase with charm, indosyncracies that include fear
of antiquities, catching an illness by suggestion and a consistant
twitch...wait this wasn't acting! That is Billy Bob!
Cate
Blanchett is a brilliant and beautiful actor. Name one film
she's done that isn't at the  least,
captivating? She's got an other worldly quality to her that ads
to her transformations. When you see her name in the cast you
can pretty much count on a wonderful movie going experience.
Bandits
was excellent, often knee slapping funny. The story's been done,
but the combo platter of Cate, Billy Bob and the side order of
Bruce with Levinson as the chef- if you will, Bandits is
a tasty treat at the movies
Snack
Recommendation: Saffron infused marinara with ziti.
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