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How to Rob a Bank

2024 1h 26m Documentary Action Crime Drama TRAILER for How to Rob a Bank: Trailer List How to Rob a Bank: Trailer How to Rob a Bank: Trailer 1:42 View more videos
100% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 75% Audience Score 50+ Ratings It's 1990s Seattle and the world’s best bank robber has it all: looks, charm, a sprawling treehouse hideout, and an uncanny ability to disappear using Hollywood-style makeup. But as law enforcement inches closer, his once-carefree life spirals into a suffocating trap, forcing him and his crew to risk it all in one final heist. Read More Read Less Watch on Netflix Stream Now

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How to Rob a Bank

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Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) It moves fast and has a convincing amount of detail in regards to what motivated “Hollywood” and his fascinating path to crime. But it doesn’t try too hard to make sense of the contradictions in his “free spirit” personality. Rated: 3.5/5 Jun 20, 2024 Full Review Luke Y. Thompson AV Club If he can dazzle the filmmakers who have direct access to the law enforcement agents who were on his tail, he can certainly charm other viewers. Jun 4, 2024 Full Review Nick Schager The Daily Beast Full of the very thrills one might expect from a summer blockbuster. Jun 3, 2024 Full Review Chuck Bowen Style Weekly (Richmond, VA) This film revels in tropes that are so appealing that they become an infecting agent, turning a brilliant guy into a [Robin Hood-like] antihero, someone who is big enough to fill up his cavernous ego. Jul 10, 2024 Full Review Linda Cook OurQuadCities / WHBF-TV (Illinois) It's an action-packed, smartly told documentary. Rated: 3 1/2 stars Jun 30, 2024 Full Review Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media How to Rob a Bank is a straightforward, workmanlike documentary that effectively tells the story of man who lived in a large treehouse, cooked meth in his own lab, then switched careers for bank robbing&#4. Jun 27, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sal D While the documentary was well done, I am much more interested in a much deeper look into the pathology of Scott Scurlock rather than just the real crime story. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/30/24 Full Review Daniel N This documentary about an enigmatic bank robber is so entertaining and beautify interspersed with such aesthetic animations. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/19/24 Full Review shannon b Great bank robbery documentary in Seatle in the 90s. Loved the use of cartoon in it. Very interesting. Loved it! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/16/24 Full Review Scott M Straight forward and uninspired documentary about a string of bank robberies in the 1990s throughout Seattle, WA area, told mostly through interviews and animations. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/15/24 Full Review Va C As with everything in life, we are only privy to approximately 20% of what we see in any given experience. Surely the remaining 80% has compelling untold facts that would make an amazing movie. How to Rob a Bank does not vary from any other experience in life. This documentary was outstandingly produced, the music is also amazing, but again, we are only getting about 20% of the facts here. The lead FBI Special Agent on the case, Shawn Johnson, epitomizes the quality of agents the FBI used to have in its prime. His interviews and compassionate comments show regard for human life, including the bank robbers, unlike that of other members of the task force. The comment that stands out particularly is that Agent Johnson indicated that there was always another day to catch "Hollywood". The Seattle cop who was also interviewed for this show seemed like he preferred blood over justice. Isn't pride one of the seven deadly sins? Not a quality I would want in an officer. If you really pay attention to how things played out, you would understand that the investigation took 4 years because of the skill of Hollywood and his accomplices. This does not in any way diminish the immense skill of the FBI agents or other individuals involved in this case, who were also handling all other bank robberies in Seattle (which they indicated was about 1 a day on average). If I remember correctly, it was said in the documentary that Agent Johnson actually accurately predicted (based on facts, evidence, and pure skill) where Hollywood was going to rob next. It seems that the Hollywood robberies would have continued indefinitely if not for his level of competence. Mark Biggins and Steve Meyers, Hollywood's accomplices, appeared to have integrity, compassion and remorse for their actions. I disagree with other reviews stating that Scott (Hollywood) is being glorified. This documentary takes a deep dive into the psyche of Scott and what lead him down this dark path. Mark and Steve did their time, completed their debt to society, and specifically state that they are remorseful for the harm their actions caused to others. This doesn't seem like a group of people who are proud of the harm they caused (unlike the cop). This story has so many layers and so much information that it would be impossible to condense 4 years of investigation, all of the facts and information to accurately and completely be represented in 90 minutes. Even so, the directors and producers were still able to create quite a detailed and immersive storyline. The reenactments fitting in seamlessly with the animation storyboards was such an interesting and seemingly effortless effect. I will definitely be recommending this to others. It was far more accurate than the FBI files or the Ann Rule book which I watched/read years ago. It was nice to clear up some details that seemed questionable in those. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/13/24 Full Review MrGalaxy M It’s definitely worth a watch I found it very interesting and informative, I like it. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/10/24 Full Review Read all reviews
How to Rob a Bank

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Movie Info

Synopsis It's 1990s Seattle and the world’s best bank robber has it all: looks, charm, a sprawling treehouse hideout, and an uncanny ability to disappear using Hollywood-style makeup. But as law enforcement inches closer, his once-carefree life spirals into a suffocating trap, forcing him and his crew to risk it all in one final heist.
Director
Stephen Robert Morse, Seth Porges
Producer
Stephen Robert Morse, Max Peltz, Seth Porges, Maxim Gertler-Jaffe
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Pinball Party Productions, Lone Wolf Studios, Screen Siren Pictures
Genre
Documentary, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 5, 2024
Runtime
1h 26m
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