Bandits is a
2001 comedy/crime/drama/romance movie directed by
Barry Levinson. It stars
Bruce Willis,
Billy Bob Thornton, and
Cate Blanchett. Filming began in October 2000 and ended in February 2001. It helped Thornton earn a
National Board of Review Best Actor Award for 2001. Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett were nominated for Supporting Actor and Actress Golden Globes for their performances in this film. The film's release and box office intake was marred by the initial
Anthrax attacks at NBC on the morning of its release.
Tagline:
Two's Company, Three's A Crime.
Plot outline
Two friends and convicts, one charismatic Joe, (
Bruce Willis), the other neurotic and hypochondriac Terry, (
Billy Bob Thornton) break out of
Oregon State Penitentiary in a cement truck and start a bank robbing spree, hoping to fund a dream they share. They become known as the "Sleepover Bandits" because of their
modus operandi: they kidnap the manager of a target bank the night before a planned robbery, then spend the night with the manager's family; early the next morning, they accompany the manager to the bank to get their money. Using dim-witted would-be stunt man Harvey Pollard (
Troy Garity) as their getaway driver and lookout, the three successfully pull off a series of robberies that gets them recognition on the
FBI's
Ten Most Wanted list.