Little Thieves, Big Thieves

This film is basically a caper movie about four men who plan to rob a bank, only to discover that the bankers have got there already, and the vaults are almost empty. It references 'Dog Day Afternoon' but is altogether too similar to that film to be truly original. Shot in Venezuela, this film was very popular with the local audience, but to viewers in other countries, unaware of the background to the film - many banks actually did have to close because of collusion between corrupt bankers and politicians - the film will have much less impact. None of this background is properly explained - presumably because the Venezuelan audience would take it mostly for granted. The acting is fine and it would have been nice to see some of the characters further developed, but there are too many neat contrivances and plot holes. (Why are the phones turned off, but not the power, so that the bankrobbers can still use the computers?) The script tries to be liberal, with one sympathetic gay character, but when one of the robbers gets shot ... guess which one?