How to Rob a Bank

A deep look into a bandit's life who lived in a time ahead of his actual era. Whole mission was to paint this notorious criminal in a different shade that's not seen by many. In any reality theft is severely damaging but looking at Scott's behavior, his approach and his giving back signs us towards a rebellious side of the character. He engaged in a chaotic, unbeatable battle with a behemoth that most people can't even look at, much less yell at. So this reunion of both sides to narrate explicitly how Hollywood's story went down is greatly entertaining. Excellent visuals and footage. Makes this documentary well worth the time.

It was an interesting and well done documentary, but the major flaw was that it tended to make a hero out of the villain.

ABOUT MY REVIEWS:

I do not include a synopsis of the film/show -- you can get that anywhere and that does not constitute a meaningful review -- but rather my thoughts and feelings on the film that hopefully will be informative to you in deciding whether to invest 90-180 minutes of your life on it.

My scale: 1-5 decreasing degrees of "terrible", with 5 being "mediocre" 6- OK. Generally held my interest OR had reasonable cast and/or cinematography, might watch it again 7 - Good. My default rating for a movie I liked enough to watch again, but didn't rise to the upper echelons 8- Very good. Would watch again and recommend to others 9- Outstanding. Would watch over and over; top 10% of my ratings 10 - A classic. (Less than 2% receive this rating). For Lifetime Movies for Chicks (LMFC), drop the above scale by 3 notches. A 6 is excellent and 7 almost unattainable.

True crime doc based on a string of bank robberies in 90s Seattle, this is a decent show coming in at 86 mins. Anything more would have been too drawn out, glad they decided not to go the three episode route with this story.

There's not much to watch visually; while there are some old clips and photos used, the doc mainly uses old audio and interviews from the present time. Several motion posters have also been used. So, you can either play it in the background or if you'd rather 'watch this as a podcast', that'll work too. If you have 1.5 hrs to spare and aren't sure what watch as a true crime content enthusiast, this should be on your list.

I wonder if Netflix true crime docs are all beginning to look and sound the same.

Really compelling crime doc with a thoughtful and sensitive character study at its center. What a strange and enigmatic man Scott was... the home video footage is so beautiful and used to great effect here. Engaging, thought provoking, and morally complex stuff! I could rob a bank no problem though.

I see there are some reviewers on here wringing their hands about the ethics of the film and 'true crime' in general. While I think this is a valuable conversation to have, I don't believe this film is part of the problem. I think How to Rob a Bank does a very good job of holding Scott and his accomplices accountable; bank robbery is not a victimless crime and this is told to us directly through interviews with the victims themselves. Additionally, Scott's accomplices express deep regret at the path their lives took, the crimes they committed, and the people they hurt. The film and filmmakers seem well aware of the complicated subject matter. This is a true crime film but it is far from exploitative.

The story has so many layers to it. I was completely locked in from the moment it started. The world of Scott Scurlock was so fascinating. Definitely a movie worth watching. The hippie meth dealer turned bank robber lived in this insane treehouse he built himself but then got addicted to the adrenaline high of robbing banks. Nicknamed Hollywood he took notes out of movies like Heat and Point Break. I loved all the different perspectives throughout the movie- from the accomplices to former friends, FBI agents and local law enforcement. This story is rich with content and super entertaining. Music was great and they incorporated drawings/sketches which added to the value and 90's era vibe. This movie was SO good!!!