Former bank robber gives Point Break heist a 10/10

Last Updated on August 24, 2023

Ever wonder just how realistic a big screen bank heist is? Well, there’s really only one way to find out – OK, two, but we don’t recommend participating in one – and that’s by asking an actual bank robber. According to Cain Vincent Dyer, who took part in over 100 bank robberies over the course of two-and-a-half years, the one from 1991’s Point Break is a 10/10 example…even if it did have its flaws.

Dyer heaped much praise on the time frame that the group laid out in Point Break, saying 90 seconds would be ideal for grabbing and going before the police arrive. “Typically, once you go into a bank and the alarm is set, depending on where law enforcement is in relation to the bank, it’ll typically take about a minute and a half. You have a group of guys that are all going after the drawers, and depending on the location of the bank, they’re probably not leaving with a big dollar amount. But I think their thing is quantity. Do a lot of these things, get in, get out, versus spending too much time trying to take on the vault.” He added that this is a method that many groups prefer when taking a bank job.

Still, he did note some flaws in the Point Break sequence, saying that the trope of having customers and workers put their hands above their heads is a bad idea. “That’s something that I definitely stayed away from. The thought process behind doing that is to have absolute control of the movement. I never asked anyone to lay on the floor or lift their hands. If you’re a customer walking up to the bank, and you see a bunch of people standing in there with their hands up or laying on the ground, you’re not going to enter. First thing you’re going to do is call the police.” He, too, criticized the idea of wearing masks – especially ones of former presidents, saying it only alerts people. Instead, he recommends something along the lines of glasses and a hat. So, not sure where that 10/10 came from, but we sure love the scene!

In addition to Point Break, Dyer also rated a number of other bank heists across film and television, giving Ambulance and Hell or High Water 8/10s, American Heist a 7/10, 2 Guns a 6/10, Heaven’s Burning a 4/10, a season four episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine a 2/10, and Spider-Man: Homecoming a dismal 1/10. Hey, that’s pretty close to what our review of the Point Break remake was! Joining Point Break in its perfect score was Ben Affleck’s The Town.

What is your favorite bank robbery in a movie? Where would the one in Point Break rank? Let us know!