Issue 742

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Movie Reviews
with Evelyn Gough.

The Bank (M)

Written and Directed by Robert Conolly

David Wenham and Anthony La Paglia star in the new Australian thriller, The Bank.

It's always a pleasure to review a great home-grown production and The Bank is certainly both these things.

This gripping drama, written and directed by the very talented Robert Conolly, with its enthralling story, gets my vote for one of the best films of the year.

Of course, I'd say that about anything starring David Wenhan. (Hubba, Hubba! And he's not a bad actor either.) Wenham offers just one of the many fine performances in this taut thriller set within the cut-throat world of high finance and banking - a world where millions can be made and lost in a matter of seconds and lives can be destroyed just as easily.

Anthony Lapaglia is chillingly convincing as Centrebank's CEO Simon O'Reilly. Almost two decades later, Gordon Gekko lives! And he's looking after your money. Arrogant and ambitious, O'Reilly is the type of cold bastard who gives banks a bad name, and is prepared to cut costs and increase profits no matter what the consequences.

Under pressure from the board of directors to get the bank back in the black, he employs mathematical genius Jim Doyle (Wenham) whose system for predicting the stock market is near completion and once perfected will be worth billions to whoever controls it.

This brief synopsis barely skims the surface of this superb thriller.

I have no intention of giving away crucial plot details, suffice to say there is intrigue, human tragedy and revenge a plenty, even a little romance.

Throw in some wonderful direction and cinematography, a well crafted storyline full of suspense and a heart-pounding finale and what you've got sure aint just another quirky Aussie comedy. This is nail biting drama at its best.