The Bank Job

When shady car salesman Terry Leather (Jason Statham), a small-time criminal, is tipped off by his friend, model Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), that an upscale bank's safe deposit boxes are vulnerable to theft, the opportunity to step up to the big leagues proves irresistible. All the more so, since a nearby store -- the starting point for their planned tunnel to the bank -- is available for rent.

Assembling a gang from his old neighborhood, including photographer Kevin Swain (Stephen Campbell Moore), part-time actor Dave Shilling (Daniel Mays) and con man Guy Singer (James Faulkner), Terry hopes to escape the underworld and provide security for his wife, Wendy, (Keeley Hawes) and their young children.

Evading the unwelcome attentions of the police while they drill the tunnel, however, turns out to be just the first of the team's challenges. After their heist, they draw the ire of two powerful opposing forces.

The first is crime lord Lew Vogel (David Suchet), who's allied -- for the moment at least -- with militant black-power leader Michael X (Peter de Jersey). The other is the British counter-intelligence service, represented by agent Tim Everett (Richard Lintern).

While Vogel has massive corruption to conceal, Everett and his superiors are out to protect the jewel-in-the-crown of royal secrets. Terry and his friends have unwittingly threatened both with exposure.

Director Roger Donaldson's film is primarily an intelligent and engaging piece of intrigue. But be warned: "The Bank Job" delves, along the way, into the seamy details of some of its characters' private lives; it also pulls no punches in portraying the underworld brutality. While these elements may be dramatically justified, they limit the movie's appeal for many Catholics.

The film contains nongraphic sexual activity, some of it aberrant, upper female and rear nudity, torture, much rough, crude and crass language, adultery, pornography, drugs, prostitution, and a passing anti-Catholic reference. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops