Jim Sturgess plays Eddie Dodson, a Melrose Avenue antiques dealer who decided to become a bank robber. Dodson drove to the banks in a black '63 Ford Galaxy LTD. He dressed up like an elegant criminal. He made mix tapes to listen to on his getaways. And in only nine months, Eddie robbed 64 banks - more than anyone has robbed before or since. Taking its aesthetic cues from Eddie Dodson and the unique moment he occupied in L.A.'s counter cultural history, director Tristan Patterson has forgone the style of straight‐ahead biopics to create a New Wave dream of a romantic outlaw seeking self‐reinvention and immortality in paradise.
While Dodson is meant to be a charismatic, and sexy, he emulates creepy more efficiently. There is nothing attractive or compelling about his “give it to me” delivery, or his awkward bumbling mannerisms. How he charms any of the tellers is an utter mystery.
Vinessa Shaw, Chloë Sevigny, and Patricia Arquette are utterly wasted in nothing parts. Not only do their characters have nothing of interest to do, had their scenes been cut, it wouldn't have made much difference to the boring flick.
Isabel Lucas plays the waifish love interest, that I'm still scratching my head to find her appeal. From her awful bleached hair to her lethargic performance, her character's sole purpose seems to be to suggest that Dodson an even worse decision than the ones he's chosen to make on his own.
While the energy of the 80's radiates through the film, and should make it an instant classic, the meaninglessness of it all steals what little magic the music manages to muster up. What should have been a high octane telling of a high rolling life, coming crashing down as the loan sharks and police close in became a slow rolling whimper as a string of bank heists are committed.
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