Billy Bob's Filmography

BANDITS (2001)

Movie Quote
TERRY: Beavers and ducks!

Plot
Terry Lee Collins (our man Billy Bob) is a hypochondriac serving hard time in an Oregon penitentiary for bank robbery. Terry's best pal, Joe Blake (played by Bruce Willis) busts them out of prison, launching their new career as the notorious Sleepover Bandits. They invade a given bank manager's home the night before the planned heist, sleep over with the manager and his/her family, then take the whole bank-managing clan to the bank before opening to clear out the vault. This cool modus operandi should net the boys enough money to realize their dream of settling for good in Mexico and opening a resort. But the plan goes awry when a series of mishaps (don't ask) nets them a hostage--Kate Wheeler (played by Cate Blanchett), a disappointed housewife who eventually joins Joe and Terry, then falls in love with both of them. ("Together, you're the perfect man!" Kate laments.) The fourth bandit is a sweet, dimwitted, wannabe stuntman (played con Jeff Spicoli brio by Troy Garrity, who is the son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden). The four are pursued southward along the Pacific coast before Terry and Joe wind up in a siege (at the Alamo Savings and Loan!) with the police during a botched hold-up in Century City. But everything is not what it seems as the bandits attempt to go out in a blaze of glory. How will the awkward love triangle between Joe, Terry, and Kate resolve? 

What Billy Bob Gets To Do
At last, a movie for anyone who has ever been afraid of Benjamin Disraeli's hair! Billy Bob has a field day effecting every phobia and esoteric disease imaginable, ranging from tintinitus to vaginitis (thanks for sharing).  Billy Bob brought some of his own, personal phobias to Terry's repertoire, including his famous horror of antique furniture.  When Terry isn't beset with neurosis, he's the brains behind the bank robberies, as well as Kate's earnest, lovelorn, somewhat twitchy swain.  It's no wonder that Billy Bob received a Best Actor, Comedy Golden Globe nod from the Hollywood Foreign Press in 2001.  Incidentally, this is his third appearance behind bars (after BOUND BY HONOR and OUT THERE, but before MONSTER'S BALL and LEVITY).

Backstory
BANDITS did open as the number one comedy in the country, but its success was no doubt dampened by its release date (immediately following the 9/11 tragedy when, understandably, the nation was far too grief-stricken to take in a lighthearted comedy).  Barry Levinson's goofy love story (based on the true story of a pair of actual sleepover bank robbers) is replete with gorgeous vistas, crazy  pyrotechnics, and sardonic commentary on the reality TV genre. Pop music abounds, ranging from Bonnie Tyler to U2 to Bill Withers. Both Billy Bob and Cate Blanchett picked up a number of awards and nominations for their work in BANDITS, but the film also got the Taurus Award for Best Driving from the World Stunt Awards (even though no one was driving an actual Taurus in the winning scene).  Watch for the film's first shot of Cate Blanchett, which gives breathtaking new meaning to the phrase "blue light special."

Awards (for Billy Bob Thornton)
National Board of Review USA (Best Actor) - 2001 - Winner
Florida Film Critics Circle (Best Actor) - 2002 - Winner
Golden Globe (Best Actor, Comedy/Musical) - 2002 - Nomination

Awards (for BANDITS)
The complete list from the IMDb awards page.

Relevant Links
IMDb Link
Official Site
Official Awards Page
A Norwegian site with thumbnail pix
Upcomingmovies.com preview page
Box Office Prophets preview page
Oooh! Plenty of thumbnails from the premiere!
Filming location site
Addicted to Cate Website

Related Merchandise
The soundtrack includes cuts by Five for Fighting, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Pete Yorn, Bonnie Tyler, and composer Christopher Young's suite from his score.