How to Rob a Bank (and 10 Tips to Actually Get Away with It)

"How to Rob a Bank" is a low-budget oddity in which a young private citizen (Nick Stahl) gets accidentally locked in a bank vault with a hot-and-sexy would-be robber (Erika Christensen). The trick is it's hard to tell whose side young Jinx is really on - the bank robbers' who are holding the employees and customers hostage on the other side of the steel door, or the cops', led by Officer Degepse (Terry Crews of "Everybody Hates Chris"), who are stuck outside the bank trying to defuse the situation. Jinx is a customer mightily ticked off at how banks literally nickel-and-dime their depositors at every opportunity - and it is anger at this outrage that may inspire him to shift his loyalties to the malefactors in the final stretch.

Written and directed by Andrews Jenkins, the movie earns more points for creativity than it does for execution. The story is often needlessly gimmicky and confusing, the direction unpolished and lacking in finesse, and the performances low on subtlety and shading (though Stahl is very good). Plus, what with its made-on-the-cheap appearance, collection of pseudo-profundities and single-set mise-en-scene, "How to Rob a Bank" definitely has a film-school-project feel to it.

Still, it's kind of fun watching the movie turn the bank-robbery formula on its head, particularly in its blurring of the lines between the hostages and the hostage-takers, the law-breakers and the law-enforcers. Plus, for a little added kick, it has the late David Carradine appearing in a cameo role right at the closing moments.

Jinx (Nick Stahl) is locked in the bank vault with sarcastic Jessica (Erika Christensen) tied up. He's ranting about bank service charges but he only wants his $20. Then she receives a call from Simon (Gavin Rossdale). He's the bank robber and he wants his cohort Jessica to open the vault. Police officer DeGepse (Terry Crews) is outside wondering what's going on.

Stahl and Christensen tries a bit of quirky rom-com but that mostly fails. It's trying hard with few resulting laughs. Then there is the heist scheme. It makes very little sense. It seems more reasonable for Jinx to hold up in the vault which leads to the big problem with the ending. It makes even less sense than the original scheme. It's a movie that can't be dissected logically. I like the two leads and they keep this movie from completely crashing.

How Rob a Viewer is more like it. I just saw this on On Demand HD Cable. For the first time ever with On Demand I really want my $ 6.99 back! I saw that this was an independent movie with a first time director released by IFC and it looked like it might be a cool little flick. Boy was I wrong. This thing is one of the worst films I have ever seen. If I had any power I would nominate this for a Razzie Award. It would win. Definitely the worst film of the year nomination. The story goes nowhere cinematically, photographically or thematically. Some of the acting is worse than a high school drama. Witness the exchange between the COP on the street and the angry young man trapped in the bank. I don't know if I can blame the actors as they look completely lost, as if they have no idea of what they are supposed to be doing and no direction. The lead performances are schizophrenic, without tracking any kind of performance. One minute the man trapped in the bank vault, with the horribly cheese ball sexy receptionist, is freaking out in a panic and the next he is chill and calm and delivering smooth cool lines to the femme fatal. Horrible. The dialog is trying so hard to be clever but it trips all over it's self conscious self. The clumsy attempt to message this plot out with a angry protest cry at banks for charging $ 1.50 ATM fees is laughable - but not funny.

The direction and production blatantly audition for an ultra mainstream Hollywood production in attempts to look slick and keep the camera fluid but just call attention to itself in it's half baked passionless, committee driven excuse for a movie. IFC I want my $ 6.99 back.

a "dark" comedy with some weired moments,very "new age" production style; hot babe (by universal terms at least).

i did not find it "bad" at all; i have seen better from this genre, yet there is a certain "sweetness" that will likely keep you watch on, without feeling "bored" generally(the first 5-10 minutes i found them as irrelevant), even if the whole action happens in and in-between the "valut"(Nick Stahl and Erika Christensen), bank's main floor (with the bad guys+ hostage), and the front street with Terry Crews (as the negotiator).

i say "new age" dark comedy because there are many scenes that technically suppose to be funny but they are not; such as letting you think" along the line "ok...and...?". however the plot keeps reinventing itself to the point where the unfunny becomes comic, but still with the ability to hold its course. basically if you like British humor( even if it is a Hollywood production) and looking for pure entertainment values, this might be for you. and especially if you are part of the young generation and/or withing the start of the middle age one.

i found the end to be disappointing in traditional sense and there also some references to internet use that play out right from the "regulaters" political agenda! there are way too many phones and calls involved yet i THINK i can see the sarcasm in itself (if this was intended to be commercial it definitely fails flat and the investors should demand their money back).actually the plot in itself falls flat as well, since the "surcharge" theme has been played out many times before and much better. the thing that holds quiet well the movie together are the wacky dialogs(or most of them) and the camera work. David Carradine is a nice touch even if only actually see him once(i recognized his voice from a mile away without looking into credits first).

all in all is a good "progressive" time waster. it entertains

The plot idea is fine and the story telling is not too long.

This is so dated and noticeably low budgeted, but damn if it isn't charming. Nick Stahl playing the meandering goofball protagonist, who can be particularly clever when he wants to be, is what makes this movie click, and it's filled with a few chuckles here and there from B characters as well. I enjoyed it overall, don't expect Heat, but expect a little fun.