Movie Review: ‘How To Rob A Bank’

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Review by Adam Courtliff

How to Rob a Bank
Director: David Leitch
Writers: Mark Bianculli
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, John C. Reilly, Pete Davidson, Zoë Kravitz
Synopsis: Bank robbers are posting their heists on social media, causing police to chase them.
Grade: C+

David Leitch has quickly cemented himself as one of the most entertaining directors working within the action genre today. From co-directing John Wick to his last feature film, The Fall Guy, he has crafted a unique voice and style, particularly through his kinetic storytelling that is utterly infectious and immensely enjoyable. His latest outing, How to Rob a Bank, sees him dabble in the heist genre, one that has become tired, uninspiring, and formulaic in recent memory. For much of its runtime, Leitch is once again successful in creating a satisfying popcorn flick.

A large part of that success comes from Leitch and screenwriter Mark Bianculli’s willingness to bring the heist genre into the modern day. With that, the pair incorporate social media, with our bank robbers proving just as successful as influencers creating viral videos as they are at escaping with the cold hard cash they’re after. In an era where many of us suffer from TikTok brain and are living in an increasingly dystopian world of YouTube videos pitting everyday people against each other for cash prizes, it feels like a stroke of genius to combine the two.

The pair also keep the plot deliberately simple and easy to follow. The movie follows the Who’s Hungry gang, a crew of people sick of the establishment screwing over the little guy. The group is led by Ryan, aka Wolf (Nicholas Hoult), alongside his friends (Anna Sawai, Rhenzy Feliz, and Pete Davidson), who record and stream their robberies as a middle finger to the bankers and corrupt elite ruining the “American Dream” for ordinary individuals. In doing so, they’re exposing a system that has made improving your life a distant fantasy rather than something truly attainable.

With their following continuing to grow and the threat of rebellion becoming an increasingly real possibility, the FBI is at a loss as to how to stop them. Headed up by Agent West (John C. Reilly), the task force, now at a dead end, enlists the help of Reagan Gardner (Zoë Kravitz). Ironically a criminal herself, Gardner has created a program called FYPOS that can locate anyone, anywhere by scraping social media posts. The unlikely duo is now in a race against time to stop the gang before they commit their most daring heist to date.

What makes the crew, and for large portions the movie as a whole, so compelling is their anti-establishment messaging and attempt to spark a revolution that almost feels like a modern-day Robin Hood story. They’re not just in it for themselves or looking to make a quick buck. Their ultimate goal is to bring down an entire system designed to protect millionaires while preventing the rags-to-riches stories that were once synonymous with the American Dream but now feel increasingly unobtainable.
It’s a message that feels particularly pertinent in the times we’re living in, with stories of corruption involving everyone from bankers to politicians becoming all the more common. And while it’s a sentiment that many audience members will inevitably agree with, delivered through an incredibly charismatic protagonist you can’t help but root for at times, there’s an element of irony to it all. After all, this is coming from a Hollywood filmmaker who doesn’t necessarily have to struggle through some of the very issues he seeks to portray, which may undermine some of its effectiveness.

That said, you can’t help but be enamored by the distinctive approach Leitch adopts throughout. It helps How to Rob a Bank stand out from many of its contemporaries, giving it an identity that feels entirely its own. It’s hard to take your eyes off the screen for a single second, with sharp, rapid edits combining traditional camerawork with POV social media footage to create a visual feast. Aided by fantastic graphics and colorful on-screen text, it’s an aesthetic that has you hooked from the outset, even if it occasionally feels like being on a roller coaster traveling at 100 mph with no sign of coming to an end.

Leitch also manages to inject his signature flair into the array of action sequences on display. While they’re perhaps scattered too few and far between across the slightly bloated runtime, when they do arrive, they’re more than worth the wait. He combines adrenaline-fueled, high-speed car chases with intricate robberies that continually escalate in stakes as the story progresses, ensuring audiences’ heart rates will be pumping. It all builds toward a climax that’s bound to leave most viewers smiling from ear to ear as the tension reaches its pinnacle, creating a thoroughly exhilarating spectacle.

But for all that’s undoubtedly great about How to Rob a Bank, it almost entirely lets itself down through the half-baked character development of the Who’s Hungry crew. For the first half of the runtime, we know absolutely nothing about any of their backstories. Sure, you can agree with their reasoning and understand the broader message behind their actions, but it takes far too long to even begin exploring the personal circumstances that have driven each of them to this point.

Their individual motivations only become apparent as the second half gets underway. Admittedly, they all have deeply resonant reasons for their involvement, but these revelations are handled in a way that makes them feel like a complete afterthought. Everything is rushed through as quickly as possible, meaning that when we eventually reach scenes that should be emotionally hard-hitting, you’re left feeling a little cold and unmoved. Rather than experiencing the empathy and compassion Leitch and Bianculli were clearly aiming for, there’s a frustrating disconnect between what we’re being shown and what we’re supposed to feel.

It also results in complete tonal whiplash. On the one hand, the opening half is this pedal-to-the-metal heist movie that’s frenetically paced and filled with action-packed fun. Then, almost immediately, everything grinds to a halt as it switches from an outrageous, wildly entertaining caper to an emotional family drama of sorts. It’s a shift that derails the momentum entirely and, perhaps the biggest sin of all, still doesn’t really get you to care about the characters’ personal struggles beyond agreeing with the anti-establishment message that had already been firmly established.

None of these issues or faults lie at the feet of the cast members, though. As is probably to be expected, Nicholas Hoult stands out, demonstrating that he has the star power to lead a major Hollywood production, with his YouTube speeches in particular being a genuine delight. His chemistry with Anna Sawai is another highlight, with their relationship feeling surprisingly believable despite being vastly undercooked. Perhaps more unexpectedly, especially after his last few outings, Pete Davidson manages to elevate the mediocre dramatic material he’s given, providing audiences with at least a glimmer of genuine emotion.

The same can be said for the performances on the opposing side, with John C. Reilly performing miracles as an FBI agent afforded virtually no development whatsoever. Somehow, he still manages to bring some much-needed personality to the role, providing moments of welcome comedic relief along the way. His on-screen partnership with Kravitz’s cyber genius is another appealing aspect, although her character is criminally underused, especially considering she delivers some of the best punchlines in the entire film.

It all culminates in How to Rob a Bank becoming a somewhat frustrating viewing experience. There are elements here that are undeniably fantastic and have the makings of a contemporary heist classic you could revisit and appreciate time and time again. But on the other hand, the complete absence of meaningful character development, which has a directly detrimental impact on the more dramatic moments, is utterly baffling. That said, David Leitch’s unmistakable style once again delivers just enough rip-roaring entertainment to make this worthwhile seeing on the big screen.