Band of Robbers

This could have went so wrong. I'm thinking of when they did this in Hook and turn Peter Pan into an adult, but Band of Robbers works really well.

The acting was superb. So was the writing. From the moment you see Huck Finn and Tom on the screen you got the feeling of two dudes who never out grew who they were as children and it was fantastic.

Tom and Huck still looking for treasure and adventure and they seem not to care about who gets in there way.

As a whole, the movie was a great expedience to watch. It was a quirky funny and a little dark.

This little flick is amusing and fun. It has nothing to do with the Mark Twain characters of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn outside of it is the names of the two main characters played by Kyle Gallner and Adam Nee. The story starts with these two as childhood friends and then jumps forward to them as adults. One (Gallner) being released from jail the other (Nee) a mostly half hearted policeman.

They get back together, now adults, to continue their search for a legendary treasure of gold they have been seeking since childhood. In this pursuit they cross paths with numerous underworld criminal types. There is suspense, guns, chase scenes, etc. Not too much to be said about this movie outside of it being fun but mostly forgetful due to it's episodic editing. It's worth seeing for lite entertainment.

I just saw an "on-demand" showing of this movie at our downtown relic independent theater (the old Wurlitzer is still there from way back when!)The father-in-law of one of the leads was a high school friend, and a neighbor, and word spread through the grapevine asking everyone in our class to recruit three or four more friends to go along. We almost filled the enormous old theater! This movie is amazingly well done, and being done on a very tight budget made it all the more interesting. How did they do so much, so creatively and so well? The friend told us it had been considered for Sundance, receiving several nominations. It will be on Netflix soon, so look for it! And if you watch it through a haze of some premium bourbon, it would be even better!

Attempting to adapt Mark Twain's most beloved characters into a modern day story seems like an audacious and terrible idea. But, surprisingly, the indie film "Band of Robbers" manages to pull it off. It has completely captured the essence of the character Tom Sawyer with all of his unrelenting energy, immaturity and imagination. True to form, this 'adult' version of Tom continues to travel through some fantastical version of life, with his every action propelled by a thirst for adventure and glory. In less talented hands Tom might have come off as obnoxious or unrealistic, but Adam Nee is so charming as Tom that he makes you WANT to believe that a person like this can exist. If you have never read Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" or "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," you will have no problem jumping in and enjoying this quirky and fun-loving caper. But if you have read the books, you will be all that much more impressed with what writers and directors Aaron and Adam Nee have achieved.

I had seen the trailer several months before and patiently waited for its limited theater release. I was not disappointed.

The music and visuals make an excellent first impression; the first and last shots of the film are stunning. Once the plot developed, I began to appreciate the subtle humor and eccentric style. The actors are phenomenal and clearly care about their contribution to the film. An unpredictable story simply adds to the joy of it all. I do not believe there is anything I dislike about this film.

It is clear this movie's low ratings are given by people who do not enjoy modern adaptations of classic literature, nor understand or appreciate the unique, eccentric style it embodies. This is completely understandable.

Regardless, 10/10.