Bandidas (2006)

Penelope Cruz is Maria Alvarez, a Mexican peasant whose father has been shot by men foreclosing on his farm.

Salma Hayek is Sara Sandoval, a member of the elite Mexican society whose father has been found dead of poison.

The man behind the dastardly deeds — Tyler Jackson (Dwight Yoakam), who forged a partnership with Sara’s dad under the guise of wanting to invest in the railroad.

What he really wanted was the land he owned along the railroad right of way. And his banks.

So Maria and Sara become bandits. Sara’s goal is revenge and getting enough money to flee to Europe. Maria wants the money to help peasants like herself and perhaps restore property to its rightful owners.

But Jackson has sent for a specialist from back East to help solve the series of robberies that have plagued his banks.

Quentin Cook is a new kind of lawman, using science to solve crimes. Can he crack this case?

Maria and Sara get his attention at gunpoint. Then they use kisses and the truth to win him over to their side.

But the trio are still heavily outnumbered, and Jackson wants them at the end of a noose.

Penelope Cruz as Maria Alvarez in Bandidas (2006)

Salma Hayek as Sara Sandoval in Bandidas (2006)

Review:

A lightweight combination of comedy and action that benefits greatly from the charm and beauty Penelope and Salma bring to the screen, first as an odd couple that can’t get along, later as best friends with a single mission.

The bank robberies are imaginatively staged, but the fun scenes are more memorable, especially the rivalry between Penelope and Salma as they compete to lay the “perfect” kiss on poor engaged Quentin.

Yoakam plays the clad-in-black villain in cartoonish fashion. And, to keep the comedy going, Penelope has a horse who plays tic tac toe and who is studly enough to stop fillies in their tracks, when the need arises.

Dwight Yoakam as Tyler Jackson in Bandidas (2006)

Steve Zahn as Quentin Cook in Bandidas (2006)

Directed by:
Joachim Ronning
Espen Sanberg

Cast:
Penelope Crus … Maria Alvarez
Salma Hayek … Sara Sandoval
Steve Zahn …Quentin Cook
Dwight Yoakam … Tyler Jackson
Denis Arndt … Ashe
Audra Blaser … Clarissa Ashe
Sam Shepard … Bill Buck
Ismael Carlo … Don Diego
Carlos Cervantes … Pedro Alvarez
Jose Maria Negri … Padre Pablo

Runtime: 93 min.

Sam Shepard as Bill Buck in Bandidas (2006)

Jose Maria Negri as Padre Pablo in Bandidas (2006)

Memorable lines:

Gustavo: “You want my advice, Maria? You should stop trying to change the world.”
Maria: “You want my advice, Gustavo? You should start trying to change the world.”

Sara: “You’re not going anywhere until you tell us everything we need to know (about robbing banks).”
Bill Buck: “Well, first of all, if you pull the trigger on that gun the way you point it, you might cause it to rain.”

Quentin: “May I come in?”
Padre Pablo: “No.”
Quentin: “I thought the house of God was open to all people at all times.”
Padre: “It is, but God is not at home right now. He’s down the road at the orphanage.”

Sara: “Quentin, look at me. I was raised to be a spoiled lady, not a renegade. One minute I think I have all the answers. The next minute, I’m screaming for a manicure.”

Penelope Cruz as Maria Alvarez and Salma Hayek as Sara Sandoval in Bandidas (2006)

Carlos Cervantes as Alvarez Pedro (Maria’s dad) in Bandidas (2006)

Ismael Carlo as Don Diego (Sara’s dad) with Dwight Yoakam as Tyler Jackson in Bandidas (2006)

Denis Arndt as Ashe in Bandidas (2006)

Audra Blaser as Clarissa Ashe in Bandidas (2006)

Salma Hayek as Sara Sandoval in Bandidas (2006)

Penelope Cruz as Maria Alvarez with Salma Hayek as Sara Sandoval in Bandidas (2006)

Salma Hayek as Sara Sandoval and Penelope Cruz as Maria Alvarez in Bandidas (2006)