Federal Bank Heist

I went to watch "Assalto ao Banco Central" with high expectations. In real life, the bank robbery was something that we only expect to see in a movie or on TV. It was the second largest bank robbery of the world, well planned and carried it out.

But the movie was such a disappointment. It was a mix of Ocean's Eleven (while picking the team for the robbery) and Inside Man (they show the men captured, while they are still executing the plan). Some of the thieves were characterized so childly and innocent that they wouldn't be able to take part in a simple plan to steal a child's lollipop... The movie was trying to make people laugh all the time, with short and supposedly smart jokes, but in spite of a few "not that bad" moments, most of the jokes were simple, or even a complete failure.

The acting was OK, with some good playing by Tonico Pereira, among others. But the main characters weren't that nice, and the involvement with the characters was poor, maybe because they seemed shallow.

The movie as completely disappointment, with no suspense or even a single breath-taking scene. Predictable, even though you hadn't heard about the real life bank robbing.

With you expect a great movie just like other Brazilians' ones, such as City of God, Elit Squad 2 or Central Station, don't waste your time.