Josh Duhamel charms as ‘flying bandit’ Gilbert Galvan, who pulled off nearly 60 robberies across Canada, but this light-hearted retelling lacks any insight
Bandit is one of those true-crime films where you come away with the impression that the film-makers have spent a bit too long hanging out with their subject, sitting in smoky bars listening to tall tales about the good ol’ bad days. It’s sincere enough but tells an utterly hokey and indulgent story about armed robber Gilbert Galvan, who went on a stick-up spree across Canada in the 1980s, pulling off nearly 60 robberies in three years targeting banks and jewellers. Newspapers called him “the flying bandit”.
The film paints Galvan’s crimes as more or less victimless – repeatedly showing what a polite and cordial bank robber he is, never firing a gun. It’s a glossy old-fashioned movie, mixing a bit of action with tongue-in-cheek comedy. Josh...
Bandit is one of those true-crime films where you come away with the impression that the film-makers have spent a bit too long hanging out with their subject, sitting in smoky bars listening to tall tales about the good ol’ bad days. It’s sincere enough but tells an utterly hokey and indulgent story about armed robber Gilbert Galvan, who went on a stick-up spree across Canada in the 1980s, pulling off nearly 60 robberies in three years targeting banks and jewellers. Newspapers called him “the flying bandit”.
The film paints Galvan’s crimes as more or less victimless – repeatedly showing what a polite and cordial bank robber he is, never firing a gun. It’s a glossy old-fashioned movie, mixing a bit of action with tongue-in-cheek comedy. Josh...
- 2/28/2023
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
The sequel to a beloved British family film, a heavy metal re-release, an Apple title from TIFF and Abigail Disney’s takedown of the American Dream populate the specialty film weekend in a market that may have found sturdier footing ahead of awards season and amid a dearth of blockbuster fare.
“I think there’s a lot we should be celebrating,” said Kyle Greenburg, marketing and distribution chief of Utopia. Its release, with Abramorama, of the latter’s restored 2009 doc Anvil!: The Story of Anvil rocked a 16K gross, or 8K per screen, from two single-show premiere events ahead of a one-day run coming Tuesday on 200 screens including AMC and Regal theaters and top arthouses. It played Thursday night in LA at the Saban Theatre, with Anvil performing live alongside Scott Ian of Anthrax, followed by a Q&a moderated by Steve-o. Last week, Peter Dinklage hosted a screening...
“I think there’s a lot we should be celebrating,” said Kyle Greenburg, marketing and distribution chief of Utopia. Its release, with Abramorama, of the latter’s restored 2009 doc Anvil!: The Story of Anvil rocked a 16K gross, or 8K per screen, from two single-show premiere events ahead of a one-day run coming Tuesday on 200 screens including AMC and Regal theaters and top arthouses. It played Thursday night in LA at the Saban Theatre, with Anvil performing live alongside Scott Ian of Anthrax, followed by a Q&a moderated by Steve-o. Last week, Peter Dinklage hosted a screening...
- 9/23/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
“Bandit” may be, as it proudly declares up front, based on a true story. But it’s hard to believe the titular antihero was quite as charming as the guy playing him.
Josh Duhamel is Robert Whiteman — or, technically, Gilbert Galvan Jr., as he’s known before he escapes a Michigan jail and flees to Ontario in 1985. He becomes Whiteman when he buys a homeless man’s ID, so he can get a job selling ice cream. But when he’s fired, he needs a new gig fast. Unfortunately, even in Canada it’s tough to find work as a wanted convict.
So Robert starts looking around for ways to make some easy money. Actually, make that fast money. Canadian banks, he learns while robbing them, have very little security, and he’s in and out in minutes. But it’s definitely work, what with the careful planning, the costumes and prosthetics,...
Josh Duhamel is Robert Whiteman — or, technically, Gilbert Galvan Jr., as he’s known before he escapes a Michigan jail and flees to Ontario in 1985. He becomes Whiteman when he buys a homeless man’s ID, so he can get a job selling ice cream. But when he’s fired, he needs a new gig fast. Unfortunately, even in Canada it’s tough to find work as a wanted convict.
So Robert starts looking around for ways to make some easy money. Actually, make that fast money. Canadian banks, he learns while robbing them, have very little security, and he’s in and out in minutes. But it’s definitely work, what with the careful planning, the costumes and prosthetics,...
- 9/20/2022
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
Quiver Distribution has debuted a new trailer for the Josh Duhamel-led feature ‘Bandit.’
In 1985, Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming career criminal, escapes from a US prison in Michigan and crosses the border into Canada where he assumes the identity of Robert Whiteman. After falling in love with Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert), a caring social worker he can’t provide for, he turns to robbing banks and discovers that he’s exceptionally good at it. Under the guise of a security analyst, Robert begins flying around the country robbing multiple cities in a day, eventually catching the attention of national news outlets that dub him The Flying Bandit.
Addicted to the rush and money that provides his double life, Robert eventually turns to loanshark and reputed gangster Tommy Kay (Mel Gibson) for bigger opportunities. But with Robert’s notoriety growing in record time, he is put into the direct...
In 1985, Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming career criminal, escapes from a US prison in Michigan and crosses the border into Canada where he assumes the identity of Robert Whiteman. After falling in love with Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert), a caring social worker he can’t provide for, he turns to robbing banks and discovers that he’s exceptionally good at it. Under the guise of a security analyst, Robert begins flying around the country robbing multiple cities in a day, eventually catching the attention of national news outlets that dub him The Flying Bandit.
Addicted to the rush and money that provides his double life, Robert eventually turns to loanshark and reputed gangster Tommy Kay (Mel Gibson) for bigger opportunities. But with Robert’s notoriety growing in record time, he is put into the direct...
- 8/17/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Quiver Distribution is premiering a new trailer aimed squarely at action fans this Monday. The Bandit trailer presents a film about seemingly ordinary men up to no good. Based on the remarkable true story of the Flying Bandit, the film stars Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert, and Mel Gibson. Allan Ungar directs from a script written by Kraig Wenman.
The Bandit trailer teases the story of Gilbert Galvan Jr. (Josh Duhamel), a charismatic career criminal who uses more disguises than Hitman’s Agent 47 to rob banks in broad daylight. As Gilbert tumbles deeper down a robbery-driven rabbit hole, he discovers that his obsession will lead to his life falling into chaos if he doesn’t walk away while the getting is good.
Here’s the official logline for Bandit:
In 1985, Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming career criminal, escapes from a US prison in Michigan and crosses the border into Canada,...
The Bandit trailer teases the story of Gilbert Galvan Jr. (Josh Duhamel), a charismatic career criminal who uses more disguises than Hitman’s Agent 47 to rob banks in broad daylight. As Gilbert tumbles deeper down a robbery-driven rabbit hole, he discovers that his obsession will lead to his life falling into chaos if he doesn’t walk away while the getting is good.
Here’s the official logline for Bandit:
In 1985, Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming career criminal, escapes from a US prison in Michigan and crosses the border into Canada,...
- 8/15/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Roberta Whiteman, a longtime editor for Variety who specialized in international coverage, died June 17 at a hospice facility near Vero Beach, Fla., where she lived. She was 62.
Known as Bobbie, the British native was a skilled copy editor and news editor who was an unfailingly sunny presence in Variety‘s newsroom for nearly 13 years. Whiteman demonstrated her courage, strength and resilience after being diagnosed in 2007 with a rare form of cancer that affected her spinal cord and brain.
Despite undergoing difficult treatments, Whiteman was rarely absent from the newsroom for long. She was renowned for her skill at sorting through the high volume of news filed round the clock by Variety‘s unmatched roster of international correspondents.
Whiteman knew every correspondent and stringer in every territory, and she also shouldered the unenviable task of helping to ensure that their freelance payments were sent out on time. She was an encyclopedia...
Known as Bobbie, the British native was a skilled copy editor and news editor who was an unfailingly sunny presence in Variety‘s newsroom for nearly 13 years. Whiteman demonstrated her courage, strength and resilience after being diagnosed in 2007 with a rare form of cancer that affected her spinal cord and brain.
Despite undergoing difficult treatments, Whiteman was rarely absent from the newsroom for long. She was renowned for her skill at sorting through the high volume of news filed round the clock by Variety‘s unmatched roster of international correspondents.
Whiteman knew every correspondent and stringer in every territory, and she also shouldered the unenviable task of helping to ensure that their freelance payments were sent out on time. She was an encyclopedia...
- 6/17/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Deals close in UK, Australia, Germany, France, Middle East. Project is in post.
Highland Film Group has closed a raft of territory deals on action heist thriller Bandit starring Josh Duhamel and Mel Gibson.
Rights have gone to Signature Entertainment for the UK and Scandinavia, SquareOne Entertainment for Germany and German-speaking Switzerland, Originals Factory for France and French-speaking Switzerland.
In other deals Bandit has closed with and Madman Entertainment in Australia/New Zealand, YouPlanet Pictures in Spain and Daro Film Entertainment in Bulgaria, former Yugoslavia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia / Baltics.
Further sales have closed with Three Lines for Benelux,...
Highland Film Group has closed a raft of territory deals on action heist thriller Bandit starring Josh Duhamel and Mel Gibson.
Rights have gone to Signature Entertainment for the UK and Scandinavia, SquareOne Entertainment for Germany and German-speaking Switzerland, Originals Factory for France and French-speaking Switzerland.
In other deals Bandit has closed with and Madman Entertainment in Australia/New Zealand, YouPlanet Pictures in Spain and Daro Film Entertainment in Bulgaria, former Yugoslavia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia / Baltics.
Further sales have closed with Three Lines for Benelux,...
- 5/24/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Josh Duhamel (pictured above), Mel Gibson, Elisha Cuthbert and Nestor Carbonell star in “Bandit,” which Highland Film Group is selling at Cannes. Allan Ungar directs. Kraig Wenman wrote the script based on author Robert Knuckle’s best-selling novel and journalist Ed Arnold’s interviews with Gilbert Galvan Jr., who lived under the name Robert Whiteman when he was dubbed the Flying Bandit in 1987
Based on the true story of the Flying Bandit, who successfully got away with 63 bank and jewelry heists during his crime spree, “Bandit” tells the tale of the career criminal (Josh Duhamel), who escapes from a U.S. prison and crosses the border into Canada, assuming a new identity. After falling in love and getting married, he claims to take a job as a traveling security consultant and his crimes continue. Only when he turns to lifetime gangster Tommy (Mel Gibson) for an investment, does his simple...
Based on the true story of the Flying Bandit, who successfully got away with 63 bank and jewelry heists during his crime spree, “Bandit” tells the tale of the career criminal (Josh Duhamel), who escapes from a U.S. prison and crosses the border into Canada, assuming a new identity. After falling in love and getting married, he claims to take a job as a traveling security consultant and his crimes continue. Only when he turns to lifetime gangster Tommy (Mel Gibson) for an investment, does his simple...
- 7/10/2021
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
Abby Miller (Home Before Dark) will star in Jess Plus None, the directorial debut feature from writer and director Mandy Fabian. The film centers on Jess (Miller) who goes to her best friend’s wedding in the middle of nowhere, where she will be confronted by her ex, her happily coupled friends from college, and the insecure monster she becomes when she is off the grid.
Marielle Scott (Lady Bird), Tate Ellington (Quantico), Matt Walsh (Veep), Scout Durwood (Take One Thing Off), Shalim Ortiz (All Rise), Alexis Krause (Pure Genius), Rory O’Malley (Book of Mormon), Craig Thomas (Source Code), Michael Dunn (Sydney To The Max), and Asenneth Del Toro (Immance) round out the cast.
Mandy June Turpin, Producers Patrick Fabian, Sarah Chaney, and Heather Olt are producing the project, which is currently shooting in Los Angeles.
***
Chiara D’Ambrosio has been added to the cast of Bandit,...
Marielle Scott (Lady Bird), Tate Ellington (Quantico), Matt Walsh (Veep), Scout Durwood (Take One Thing Off), Shalim Ortiz (All Rise), Alexis Krause (Pure Genius), Rory O’Malley (Book of Mormon), Craig Thomas (Source Code), Michael Dunn (Sydney To The Max), and Asenneth Del Toro (Immance) round out the cast.
Mandy June Turpin, Producers Patrick Fabian, Sarah Chaney, and Heather Olt are producing the project, which is currently shooting in Los Angeles.
***
Chiara D’Ambrosio has been added to the cast of Bandit,...
- 5/28/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Mel Gibson and Elisha Cuthbert will help Josh Duhamel pull off the perfect crime in “Bandit.”
The action thriller is directed by Allan Ungar (“Gridlocked”), and is written by Kraig Wenman. The movie is based on author Robert Knuckle’s best-selling novel and journalist Ed Arnold’s interviews with Gilbert Galvan Jr, who went by the name Robert Whiteman when he was dubbed the Flying Bandit for successfully pulling off 63 bank and jewelry heists during a notorious crime spree.
“Bandit” follows the career criminal (Duhamel) after he escapes from a U.S. prison and crosses the border into Canada, where he assumes a new identity. After falling in love and getting married, he claims to take a job as a traveling security consultant, but his daring crimes continue. After he turns to lifetime gangster Tommy (Gibson) for an investment, his career becomes more complicated and he gets embroiled in the biggest heist in Canadian history,...
The action thriller is directed by Allan Ungar (“Gridlocked”), and is written by Kraig Wenman. The movie is based on author Robert Knuckle’s best-selling novel and journalist Ed Arnold’s interviews with Gilbert Galvan Jr, who went by the name Robert Whiteman when he was dubbed the Flying Bandit for successfully pulling off 63 bank and jewelry heists during a notorious crime spree.
“Bandit” follows the career criminal (Duhamel) after he escapes from a U.S. prison and crosses the border into Canada, where he assumes a new identity. After falling in love and getting married, he claims to take a job as a traveling security consultant, but his daring crimes continue. After he turns to lifetime gangster Tommy (Gibson) for an investment, his career becomes more complicated and he gets embroiled in the biggest heist in Canadian history,...
- 5/19/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier among EP’s
Josh Duhamel will star as the notorious Canadian bank robber Robert Whiteman in heist thriller Bandit.
Allan Ungar will direct from a script by Kraig Wenman based on Robert Knuckle’s novel and journalist Ed Arnold’s interviews with Gilbert Galvan Jr, who lived under the name Robert Whiteman when he was dubbed the Flying Bandit in 1987.
Bandit centres on a charming Canadian career criminal who escapes from prison and embarks on a life as a bank robber, pursued by a brilliant detective.
He was known for his disguises...
Josh Duhamel will star as the notorious Canadian bank robber Robert Whiteman in heist thriller Bandit.
Allan Ungar will direct from a script by Kraig Wenman based on Robert Knuckle’s novel and journalist Ed Arnold’s interviews with Gilbert Galvan Jr, who lived under the name Robert Whiteman when he was dubbed the Flying Bandit in 1987.
Bandit centres on a charming Canadian career criminal who escapes from prison and embarks on a life as a bank robber, pursued by a brilliant detective.
He was known for his disguises...
- 10/30/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
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