MGM - in conjunction with Hyde Park Entertainment - is releasing the romantic comedy "Bandits," the story of a couple of bank robbers and the woman who steals their hearts. Suave, irresistible Joe (Bruce Willis) and his hypochondriac partner Terry (Billy Bob Thornton) have escaped from prison. Cutting a swath from Oregon through California, these fugitives rob banks in order to finance their scheme for a new and somewhat legitimate life south of the border, leaving a trail of terrified bankers, bad wigs and an adoring public in their wake. Unfortunately, things get more complicated when they meet Kate Wheeler (Cate Blanchett), an ordinary housewife sick of her boring life who happens to run into Terry with her car. Kate joins the bandits on their cross-country spree, and eventually she steals something, too their hearts. Both guys fall in love with Kate and Kate falls for both of them. Joe and Terry are far from ideal on their own, but together they make up the perfect man.
Here's a Question and Answer Session - provided by MGM - with Cate Blanchett, about her role in the film and what it's like working with her co-stars, Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Willis:
What was your first impression of the "Bandits" script.
It was one of those laugh out loud scripts. It was hilarious and I love the dynamic. And once I knew who was playing it, I just couldn't imagine anyone other than Bruce [Willis] and Billy [Bob Thornton] playing those roles. Having worked with Billy before and just knowing the freedom of it, I was really excited by it. With those two guys in those roles it's going to be bigger and more than what it already was on the page.
What is the tone of this film?
Well, for me, anything that makes me laugh has to be grounded in truth. It has to be real, even if it's hyper real, as most absurd things are, there has to be a grain of truth in it. And I think that's what Barry [Levinson, the director], does. You look back even to his first films, like "Diner", it's absolutely hilarious but it's really dark. And I think that people want to label things, either it's a comedy or a drama and I think that's what Barry does is he's actually got his own little genre going, which is incredibly funny, but also incredibly poignant.
How does your character, Kate, come into the fold?
By sheer accident. She literally crashed into one of them. And I think it's such a great way to come into it because I think that what happens between them is a series of accidents, happy and not so happy. And things spiral out of control until it gets so far out of control that they have to break apart. So, she literally smashes her Mercedes into Terry.
Do you enjoy comedy?
Yeah, absolutely. I think that it's always good to take that route even when you're in something which is called a so-called drama, so it doesn't become heavy handed or labored. But, I'm really enjoying working with Barry [Levinson], he's such a fantastic audience and such a terrible singer. [laugh] We had a bit of a language problem. I couldn't understand him for the first two weeks. And I thought is it because he's from the Baltimore area and I'm from Sydney. He's got his own very particular language and his own very particular take on things, which is hilarious.
This is your third time coming into contact with Billy Bob?
We did "Pushing Tin" together. Then he had this script, "The Gift," which he'd co-written with Tom Iverson and I read it and loved it. And it's sort of strange, I'd read the "Bandits" script and spoke to Bruce and then all of a sudden Billy was attached. It's really nice, 'cause when you're working in the theater you do get that chance to work with people again and, particularly, coming from Sydney the communities are obviously a lot smaller and you don't often get to do that in films. It's really nice to team up with people again because you've sort of found a way of working and so you can click in immediately.
What has your experience been like on the film?
It's been great. It's been really great. I put on the heels, put on the lipstick and just dance.
Source: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
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