Themes & representation

1.        The main characters are very conventional hero figures in the fact that they are physically attractive, able bodied and young. Despite these qualities they do also go against conventions because they are thieves and criminals. This means that they are set up as anti-heroes. An example that shows this contrast of hero to anti-hero is just after they pull off the Heist one man says, ‘without a gunshot fired’ showing that unlike most thieves they have a regard for others and execute their jobs with minimal casualties. We see them as heroes partly because of the way they are presented to us in centre frame, well-mannered and respectful but also because the force of good that opposes them is shown to not be doing their job and is put in a worse light than the criminals that we consider to be the heroes

3.  The two primary nationalities that are presented are American and supposedly Northern American as well as Italian. While the Americans are presented as the heroes who are doing good despite the fact that they are criminals we are drawn towards them through a combination of the fact they have good morals not to kill or harm people but also the fact that we can understand them and relate to their friendly banter as males building up our relationship them as characters. On the other hand the Italians who would in a normal situation be considered the good guys as they are the police, we as an audience are lead to think that they are actually bad and it almost justifies the actions of the thieves in our minds. We first see the stereotypical Italian police officers sat in the top room of a building smoking and drinking and having a laugh, while loading guns. They are portrayed as just having a laugh but also the way they are kept in the shadows that how we rarely see their faces it makes an audience believe that they are bad guys.