Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘The Out-Laws’ poses an interesting question to its viewers: how much do you really know about your in-laws? Owen was all set to marry Parker and was excited to finally meet her parents, who had stayed away all this time. He believes that winning them over will be a piece of cake. However, they turn out to be much more complicated than he thought. They aren’t simply intimidating and cold, but they are bank robbers wanted by the law.
It was shocking enough to know that his in-laws could commit crimes, but when he discovers that they could be the Ghost Bandits, he loses his mind. The film leans on Billy and Lilly’s reputation as Ghost Bandits to further the plot, eventually leading them to Atlas Reserve, the best bank in the state. If you wonder whether the Ghost Bandits and Atlas Reserve have any real-life counterparts, here’s what you need to know. SPOILERS AHEAD
Ghost Bandits Are Not Based on Real Bank Robbers
‘The Out-Laws’ is a fictional story written by Evan Turner and Ben Zazove and directed by Tyler Spindel. The action comedy aims to show the complicated relationship of a person with their in-laws but takes it up a notch in how worse things can get. The people and places mentioned in the movie are entirely fictional. The Ghost Bandits mentioned in the film are not based on real bank robbers.
In real life, there are a couple of bank robbers for whom the term “bandit” has been used in their monikers. The most famous of them is Gilbert William Galvan, aka Robert Lee Whiteman, who was known for the series of robberies over three years, where he looted around fifty banks and jewelry stores. He was named “the Flying Bandit” and “The Phantom Bandit.” The 2022 movie, ‘Bandit,’ starring Josh Duhamel, tells the story of his life, which is quite different from what we see with Billy and Lilly.
A more recent case where a robber had “bandit” in his name was when, in 2019, a bank robber known as the Ghost Face Bandit was caught by the cops in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The 53-year-old robber earned the name by using a white mask during his robberies. However, he was involved in these robberies alone, while Billy and Lilly work as a team. With many other cases of bank robbers out there, it is possible that the writers of the movie studied them to craft Billy and Lilly’s characters, but it cannot be confirmed whether they were based on someone specific.
Atlas Reserve Bank in ‘The Out-Laws’ is Fictional
No, Atlas Reserve in ‘The Out-Laws’ is not an actual bank. The fictional bank was created to serve the plot of the movie. Managed by Phoebe King, the Atlas Reserve in the film is considered the safest bank in the state. It is a matter of great envy for Owen because he wishes to have a similar vault installed for his bank. However, he has to suffice with a lesser quality model, which is still good enough for his bank.
In the movie, the Atlas Reserve has several layers of safety. The first level is to distract the robbers with a decoy. Then comes the password and Phoebe King’s handprint. Following this, the robbers will be met with triple-enforced titanium with digital, manual, and combination locks. Owen had anticipated that the vault at Atlas Reserve would have so many layers of security. We can assume that banks usually stick to multiple and complex levels of security to protect the assets of people who have entrusted them with their money. The movie, however, doesn’t base the fictional Atlas Reserve on any particular bank or security system.
Read More: The Out-Laws: How Did Owen Get Back in the Vault?
