How to rob a bank

There are preconceptions about a film directed by a former stuntman like David Leitch. This isn’t his first. For example, we saw Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt: it wasn’t half bad, filmed on the high-speed train – ‘the bullet train’, let’s not even mention Italian trains – travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto. ‘Entertaining but forgettable’, the reviews say. That assessment is inaccurate. The film is highly entertaining and feels quite fresh, addressing cybercrime and ill-intentioned influencers. Bertolt Brecht, who died in 1956, already said that founding a bank was a worse crime than robbing one. Returning to the film—which is very entertaining, there’s no doubt about that: we’re introduced to a gang of cyber-robbers, wearing animal masks and issuing a series of statements entitled “How to Rob a Bank” that celebrate their exploits with the rhythm and aesthetics of music videos. They invite people to join the movement; with each heist, their following grows ever larger. The leader is called Ryan; we see him being filmed. He records his statements in a basement, though this will require some serious post-production work. The actor is Nicholas Hoult: English, he made his debut at the age of 11 in About a Boy, based on the novel by Nick Hornby. He was a magnificent vampire in Warm Bodies. We saw him again in Mad Max: Fury Road. These are just a few highlights from a distinguished career. John C. Reilly leads the investigation, aided by Zoe Kravitz. She was in prison; they’ve promised her a reduced sentence.