Bandits

Two escapees from a state prison drift into a cross country crime spree, hoping the scores will fund a new life beyond the border today. Joe Blake and Terry Lee Collins team up to rob banks across Oregon and California with a mixture of grit and dry humor. Their plan starts to unravel only as luck and consequences press in, and they collide with Kate Wheeler, a wary car-owner who finds herself drawn into the caper after one reckless encounter. She quickly proves herself more than a passenger, insisting on a say in the route and the risks. As affection and tension bloom, the trio’s heists become less about money and more about an uncertain future they briefly glimpse together.

Directed by Barry Levinson from an original screenplay by Harley Peyton, Bandits arrived in 2001 with an A-list cast headed by Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett, marking Levinson's brisk return to ensemble crime comedy for caper fans.

Worldwide gross reached about 67,631,903 dollars against a 75 million dollar budget, indicating modest commercial returns despite a marquee lineup and broad release. The film found a solid audience in theaters and continued to perform on home video and streaming.

While it did not spark a franchise or iconic catchphrase, Bandits endures on home video as a solid example of early 2000s caper comedy. Blanchett's sharp self-assured performance and Willis's laconic delivery give it durable appeal. Its cast dynamic and light touch set it apart from harder edged crime tales.

Critics tended to view Bandits as a breezy, light footed caper that plays on the chemistry between leads rather than high stakes action. It surveys unconventional alliances and the idea that a getaway life can feel irresistible even when it stays out of reach, and it sticks for caper fans.