Most people assume an actor’s greatest film is their most acclaimed, but Billy Bob Thornton isn’t most people. While, according to faroutmagazine.co.uk, he acknowledges Sling Blade is his most important work, he reserves the title of his favourite filmmaking experience for a different movie: Bandits.
The 2001 crime caper, co-starring Cate Blanchett and Bruce Willis, was not a box office hit and earned a modest critical reception. However, the film holds a special place in Thornton’s heart due to the incredible journey of making it. “It was the best experience I ever had,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m not saying it’s the best movie I ever did.”
Thornton explained that getting to work with two friends, Blanchett and Willis, alongside a director he admired, Barry Levinson, made the production a joy. Filming in sequence along the coast added to the fun, as did the chance to play a character closer to his own personality.
Ultimately, for Thornton, the quality of a film is secondary to the experience of creating it. And for that reason, the largely forgotten Bandits remains his fondest filmmaking memory.
•Featured image: Billy Bob Thornton/Far Out / YouTube Still
