BRUCE Willis rebounds from the lukewarm reception to Unbreakable with Barry Levinson's utterly charming road movie.

Middle-aged Lothario Joe (Bruce Willis) and his hypochondriac partner Terry (Billy Bob Thornton) escape from jail to embark on one of America's most successful crime sprees.

The pair rob a succession of banks to finance a legitimate business they hope to set up south of the border.

In their wake, the double act - known in the press as The Sleepover Bandits - leave chaos, destruction and a public transfixed by their daring exploits.

Joe and Terry's plans hit the buffers when they run into Kate (Cate Blanchett), an unhappily married woman who hopes to join their band of thieves to escape her humdrum existence.

The two men vie for Kate's affections, and the cracks begin to appear in their once solid partnership.

On paper, Bandits really shouldn't work, juggling as it does elements of comedy, romance and thrills.

However, deft writing and superlative performances really lift the material, and quickly win the audience's affections.

Willis trots out the same self-deprecating performance which has underpinned his entire big-screen career, and Thornton creates another memorable eccentric.

The revelation here is Blanchett, who proves to have a natural talent for comedy. Like a one-woman cyclone, she blows through the film, reducing us to tears of laughter with her performance as a woman on the edge.

Even during Kate's most frenzied moments - dancing around her kitchen pretending to be Bonnie Tyler, veering wildly through rush-hour traffic - she retains her character's vulnerability and incredible spirit.

The plot unfurls in flashback, beginning with the infamous bank job that ultimately seals Joe and Terry's fates, then replaying key moments from their rise to fame.

Despite the men's actions you desperately want them to escape the law and find happiness with Kate.

A clever surprise in the final five minutes ensures an unexpected though much appreciated emotional kick.