Daylight Robbery *** (2008, Geoff Bell, Shaun Parkes, Paul Nicholls, Vas Blackwood, Johnny Harris, Leo Gregory) – Classic Movie Review 13,355

Paris Leonti’s 2008 British crime film Daylight Robbery is a very decent, old-fashioned B-movie-style heist thriller that entertains nicely. Geoff Bell stars as Alex, who masterminds an outrageous plan to steal millions of pounds in used banknotes.

Writer/ director Paris Leonti’s 2008 British crime film Daylight Robbery is a very decent, old-fashioned B-movie-style heist thriller that entertains nicely. It is pretty well done by Paris Leonti, confidently handled, with plenty of tension and interest, though more would be even better. Let’s not ask for the moon, we have the stars.

Geoff Bell stars as Alex, who masterminds an outrageous plan to steal millions of pounds in used banknotes stashed in the underground vaults of the London Exchange Bank, awaiting to be incinerated. That would make it hot money, and Alex has other ideas. His gang of robbers are Lucky (Vas Blackwood), Matty (Leo Gregory), Terry (Johnny Harris), Chubby (Paul Nicholls), Norman (Justin Salinger) and Jay (Robert Boulter), and they have an essential accomplice inside the bank.

The gang drive in a van to Central London, where they ram the doors of the London Exchange Bank, blocking any exit. The plan is to funnel out the cash and escape through a tunnel they have already dug under the bank.

They have an elaborate alibi, checking in on a flight to Germany for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and then have to do the job on the double, and get back quick to the airport.

Main star Geoff Bell is excellent, as usual, as the main hard man, bringing much needed conviction and credibility to a very tall story. But then, aren’t all heist movies essentially tall stories? It’s just about the way you tell them. Paris Leonti’s story-telling skills are okay.

Paul Nicholls has a bad time in a rotten role as the badly wounded Chubby. Wasn’t it bad enough that the former heartthrob had to play the fat part, without his character getting wounded at the very start of the robbery? But the other well-chosen actors playing the gang have a good, quirky time. For some gratuitous reason, another TV heartthrob, Max Brown, has to play his entire role in his underpants as the doctor, and Shaun Williamson has to play the dim Police Chief as an amiable idiot way out of his depth, an unforgiving role.

[Spoiler alert] The thieves seem as though they are going to fall out, or do something stupid to get caught, but it’s hugely in the favour of this film that that is not what happens at all. OK, they bicker a bit, and are a bit stupid, but they stick together to get the job done and get away with the loot. This is a refreshing spin on the much used crime caper themes, and that’s mostly what makes this film so watchable.

The cast

The cast are Geoff Bell as Alex, Shaun Parkes as Yardie, Paul Nicholls as Chubby, Vas Blackwood as Lucky, Johnny Harris as Terry, Leo Gregory as Matty, Justin Salinger as Norman, Robert Boulter as Jay, Max Brown as the doctor, and Shaun Williamson as the Police Chief.

Check out the top 20 British heist movies:

Top 20 British heist movies

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,355

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