David Leitch’s How to Rob a Bank just hit theaters with Nicholas Hoult and Pete Davidson, and critics are not holding back. Here’s what the early Rotten Tomatoes reviews all seem to agree on about the heist film’s biggest problem.
How to Rob a Bank gets abysmal reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score
David Leitch’s How to Rob a Bank has landed with a 42% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes from 36 reviews. The heist thriller stars Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, John C. Reilly, Anna Sawai, and Pete Davidson. Amazon MGM Studios is distributing the film, which opened in theaters on November 13.
Overall, critics have largely panned the film’s attempt to blend social commentary with action. Kim Newman of Empire Magazine gave it 2 out of 5, writing that it “starts off like the Jackass team cosplaying Point Break.” He further added that the film “comes up short on sexiness and style.” Similarly, Benjamin Lee of The Guardian also gave it 2 out of 5, stating that “fighting against the system can sure feel hopeless at times but it really shouldn’t feel this pointless.”
Beyond that, several reviewers took issue with the film’s political messaging. Nick Schager of The Daily Beast called it “a film for fans of Luigi Mangione, teens who get their politics from TikTok.” Meanwhile, Marshall Shaffer of Slant Magazine gave it 1.5 out of 4, writing that “Director David Leitch and screenwriter Mark Bianculli too often mistake a loud voice for a profound one.”
Still, not all reviews were negative. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised its “unexpected heart and a finger on the zeitgeist.” Additionally, David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave it a B-, noting that Leitch “leans into the movie’s digital revolution as hard as circumstances allow.” ComingSoon gave the film an 8 out of 10, calling it “an entertaining and timely addition to the cops-and-robbers genre.”
The film follows social media-savvy bank robbers who broadcast their heists online. As a result, their viral fame draws an FBI agent and a software engineer into pursuit. The audience score remains unavailable, with fewer than 50 verified ratings so far.
