Katja von Garnier Directs Bandits
Jasmin Tabatabai, Katja Riemann, Nicoletta Krebitz, Jutta Hoffmann
Four women in a prison band unexpectedly break out and find themselves being hunted while their music tops the charts.
Bandits, directed by Katja van Garnier, is an incredible film: it's exciting with a vivacious soundtrack and has well-developed characters that successfully pull off a great story. It stars four women who have a great rock band...in prison. They constantly send out demo tapes, but to no avail. When circumstances practically force them to escape, they're faced with instant fame as their escape drives their music into the open. They need to stay hidden, but none of them are malicious criminals, and instead can't resist basking briefly in the glow fame provides. It results in more than a few comedic moments and a very emotional ending.
The Players
The film opens with the band trying out fellow prisoners for a potential new drummer. Feisty lead singer Luna (Jasmin Tabatabai, who also really sings and infact has her own albums) is always picking fights. Guitarist Angel (Nicolette Krebitz) is true to her name, incredibly sweet and trusting, the peacemaker, who can't always play terribly well but has more than enough sex appeal. And perhaps most importantly is Marie (Jutta Hoffman), the bass player who holds the band together. She is older and the wisest of the group, and though she periodically tries to take her own life, she is the backbone of the group.
It's only when the women overhear Emma (Katja Riemann), the new inmate, practicing on their drums that Luna is forced to admit she might be worth having in the group. Luna has enormous difficulty letting anyone appear in charge, but the friendship that eventually comes from two dominant personalities is very poignant, though it will take plenty of time to get there.
Getting the Ball Rolling
A planned performance away from the prison goes seriously awry when one of the prison guards begins taunting the women. Luna's fierce temper takes over and before they know it, they've escaped in a prison van without a single trace on their tail. Infact, the women actually become offended when the nightly news reports two escaped men but report nothing of their own break-out. A call to the news station and an interview later, one of the music label execs hears the news and digs in the trash for their demo tape...before long, their music is everywhere.
Intriguing Characters & Conflict
Character conflicts impede the journey along the way (deciding who gets to sleep with the American tourist they kidnap, Luna and Emma having mild alpha dog disagreements), but the ultimate plan is to set sail on a boat courtesy of Marie's friend and never set foot in the country again. The cops catch up a little more quickly than expected, an untimely death shakes them to the core and one of them breaks under the pressure to rat out their plans, leading to a very unsure resolution. The women themselves don't help matters in that they still love playing for a crowd and never miss an opporunity to play their music.
Moving Film, Great Soundtrack
The film starts out with cool colors in an isolating prison scene. The further along the film progresses, the warmer the colors become as freedom becomes ever closer. In an incredibly emotional and moving sequence, the band plays one last time in what may or may not be a trap; the film positively radiates with red, shot at sunset against the water as they prepare to escape to their boat. This film has great performances, a fun plot and a soundtrack worth owning. The commentary is also worth a listen, just to hear how they pulled off some of the best stunts on a nearly non-existent budget. Overall, Bandits is a very enjoyable film, but women especially will appreciate a non-saccharine "chick flick."
