Bandits

Right now you can watch Bandits in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Bruce Willis's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on MGM Amazon Channel.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Bandits is worth clearing space for. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Bandits from the crowd. After escaping from prison, Joe and Terry go on a crime spree, robbing banks through Oregon and California in order to finance their scheme for a new life south of the border. Unfortunately, things get more complicated when they meet Kate, who runs into them with her car. She joins the bandits on their cross-country spree, and eventually she steals something, too: their hearts. Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2001. Bandits earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Bandits is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Bruce Willis is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.