  bandits is a 2001 american crime-comedy romantic drama film directed by barry levinson. it stars bruce willis, billy bob thornton, and cate blanchett. filming began in october 2000 and ended in february 2001. it helped thornton earn a national board of review best actor award for 2001. thornton and blanchett's performances earned praise, as each was nominated for best actor and best actress golden globe awards for their performances in this film, while blanchett was nominated for best supporting actress at the screen actors guild awards. ==plot== two friends and convicts, joe (bruce willis) and terry (billy bob thornton), break out of oregon state penitentiary in a concrete mixing truck and start a bank robbing spree, hoping to fund a dream they share. they become known as the "sleepover bandits" because of their modus operandi: they kidnap the manager of a target bank the night before a planned robbery, then spend the night with the manager's family; early the next morning, they accompany the manager to the bank to get their money. using dim-witted would-be stunt man harvey pollard (troy garity) as their getaway driver and lookout, the three successfully pull off a series of robberies that gets them recognition on the fbi's ten most wanted list. when kate, a housewife with a failing marriage (cate blanchett), decides to run away, she ends up in the hands of the criminals. initially attracted to joe, she also ends up in bed with terry and a confused love triangle begins. the three of them go on the lam and manage to pull off a few more robberies, but after a while the two begin to fight over kate, and she decides to leave them. the two criminals then decide to pull off one last job. the story is told in flashbacks, framed by the story of t
2000s_crime_drama_films 2000s_criminal_comedy_films 2000s_romantic_comedy_films 2000s_romantic_drama_films 2001_films American_crime_drama_films American_criminal_comedy_films American_romantic_comedy_films American_romantic_drama_films Buddy_films English-language_films Films_directed_by_Barry_Levinson Films_set_in_Oregon Films_shot_in_Oregon Heist_films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer_films