So I decided to continue my anti-oscar film watching with Bandidas. I had really low expectations going into this but with two Oscar nominees on board, why not. Yes that’s right, both Selma Hayek and Penelope Cruz have been or are currently Oscar nominees; Selma for Frida and Penelope for Volver. Even though this film may not be Oscar material, I do respect that it was made so that Selma and Penelope could make a film together. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Now on to the film!
So here is the story in a rather summarized fashion. Two women from different lifestyles are faced with an evil American “banker” that is taking their peoples land to run a railroad through Mexico. One girl finds that road leads through her farm and the other finds that it leads through her father. The come together by chance to save their people from the dirty banker. So they decide to rob banks. Well, that’s about the all of the plot. It is not very strong and is very simplistic. The plot has merit but is mired by the generic characteristics of a Western. It’s fun but really lacking with depth. This does surprise me a bit since Luc Besson had a hand in its making. I think the film works when you move beyond the story.
The acting is actually very good. Now I have to first declare that I love Selma Hayek and that I would watch her in any film just because she is in it. She plays the highly educated Sara, the daughter of the Mexican bank which is being taken over by the American bank. He is killed (we know it but Sara does not) by Jackson (Dwight Yoakam) Sara then plans her revenge. Maria (Penelope Cruz) is her opposite. She is a farm girl with not much education but does possess a passion for her people. When her farm is burnt down by Jackson and her father almost killed, she plans a bank robbery not for revenge but for money for her people. Each actress is very exquisite in their performance, but I have to add that some of that comes from the fact that each one is absolutely gorgeous in this film. Alone, each has a good presence and believability, but together they work like a well oiled acting machine. Their constant banter and rivalry puts many buddy flicks to shame. Even though they carried the film, many of the lesser roles truly brought the film to a different level. Quentin (Steve Zahn) is a forensic detective brought into town to find the bank robbers. Zahn is hilarious! His slightly neurotic behavior coupled with his wedding bound tempted by hot chicks attitude is refreshing to say the least. While Hayek and Cruz are humorous, Zahn propels their humor even further. It just goes to show that with the right actors around you things can work. Dwight Yoakam is also surprising as the evil Jackson. Honestly, I had to look on IMDB to found out it was him. I am actually not sure if that is good or bad. The final actor that deserves at least a nod is Sam Shepard playing retired bank robber Bill Buck. Even though his part is somewhat unneeded (he only trains the girls) it brings credibility to the film. Aside from the action, the actors create a worthwhile film.
As I mentioned, this film is really all about the ladies and action. I really had fun watching this, and find myself torn between film theorist and viewer. On one level; the plot is predictable, the action is nice, and no technical innovation. On another level, do we need those things to have a good film? Bandidas will never be one of the top films of all time, but it does have three things going for it: the acting, the action, and an uplifting message. Yes, the ladies save the day for Mexico. And yes, you see it coming from a mile away. However; as long as Hayek and Cruz are leading the way, I do not mind knowing the end.
