How to Rob a Bank Takes the Fun Out of Crime: A Review of David Leitch’s Capers
A Robin Hood premise
Ryan, played by Nicholas Hoult, leads the Who’s Hungry? gang with Vince, Hugo and Emi. Wearing animal masks, they rob banks across Pittsburgh and donate the money to charity.
The group’s online videos present their crimes as a response to economic hardship and corporate power. Ryan, however, is also focused on building an audience for the footage.
The FBI joins the chase
FBI agent John West, played by John C. Reilly, understands the gang’s complaints but doubts that anarchy works in practice. He brings in Reagan Gardner, a computer science expert under house arrest, to help find them.
Reagan, played by Zoe Kravitz, is offered freedom in exchange for her help. Like many non-police characters in the film, she is drawn to the gang’s actions.
A caper without much tension
The review argues that the film keeps its robbers too clean-cut to explore the moral questions its premise raises. It also stops short of casting the FBI agents as villains, leaving both sides largely sympathetic.
Midway through, the story shifts from an irreverent tone to a more serious one as the gang prepares its biggest robbery and the FBI intensifies its efforts. Public support, stirred by the group’s videos, complicates the pursuit.
Action and comedy fall short
The film uses neon colors and rapid editing, but the review finds its characters thin, its plot unengaging and its dialogue inert. It also says the action lacks the elaborate choreography associated with Leitch’s earlier work.
Leitch previously worked on the first John Wick film and directed Atomic Blonde and Bullet Train. In this film, the review says, the mix of crime, comedy and social themes fails to generate much enjoyment.
Key points
- The Who’s Hungry? gang robs Pittsburgh banks and gives the money to charity.
- The gang posts videos criticizing economic inequality and corporate power.
- An FBI agent recruits a computer expert under house arrest to help track the robbers.
- The review says the film lacks moral ambiguity, tension and compelling action.