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 OK,
fellow movie lovers, place your bets!
With year's end right around the corner, the odds are pretty good
that we'll finally see a good hand from the Hollywood house of cards.
As far as star power is concerned, it doesn't get much better than
Ocean's Eleven, a film that boasts an all-star cast (including
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts), an Oscar-winning
director (Steven Soderbergh), and source material that dates back
to the original Rat Pack (that would be Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin,
Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis, Jr. for those of you who don't watch
American Movie Classics).
Even though the players involved took pay cuts to ensure a moderate
budget (if you can call $80 million moderate), there's no doubt
that Ocean's Eleven still represents a huge gamble for Warner
Bros. (which also has hundreds of millions invested in a young wizard
named Harry). While not quite the Blackjack that it could have been,
Ocean's Eleven is still a strong hand that's as much fun
to watch as it must have been to make. Thanks to a classic 1940's
style feel and some immense chemistry between the leads, Ocean's
Eleven fits the bill as an engaging and infectious holiday moviegoing
experience.
Dapper Danny Ocean hasn't been out of the slammer for 24 hours,
and he's already back to his old tricks planning the biggest heist
of his career. The target? A maximum security vault at the center
of three of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. The contents? Up to
$150 million in cash. Breaking into Fort Knox would be child's play
compared to this, so Ocean must enlist the help of an elite group
of specialists--including (but not limited to) Rusty Ryan, a trusted
confidant, Linus Caldwell, a master pickpocket with a lot to prove,
and Basher Tarr, an explosives expert with an explosive temper.
For Ocean, the stakes are even higher: Terry Benedict, the ruthless
owner of the casinos, is dating his ex-wife. The problem? How is
Ocean supposed to keep his mind on his talented team of kings when
he can't get his mind off his former queen?
After 4 wildly ambitious--and very different--movies over the past
three years (1998's Out of Sight, 1999's The Limey,
and 2000's one-two punch of Erin Brockovich and Traffic),
there's no doubt that Steven Soderbergh is one of the premiere directors
of his generation. That's why on a comparative level, Ocean's
Eleven is something of a disappointment. Sure, it's cool and
hip, but it's not as cool and hip as it wants to be. Then again,
considering that the original Ocean's 11 was quite boring
and looks like it was done in one take, it makes sense. Also, instead
of being an action-packed extravaganza, Soderbergh's Ocean's
Eleven has more in common with the offbeat humor of Out of
Sight than it does with anything the Rat Pack ever did.
On the other hand, thanks to a top-notch cast of high rollers, there's
a cool breeze coming off this Ocean. Ever since he left his
ER scrubs in the dust a few years ago, George Clooney has
gone to great lengths to play some very charismatic--and very greedy--big
screen characters. He went from stealing uncut diamonds in 1998's
Out of Sight to stealing Kuwaiti gold in 1999's Three
Kings. In last year's The Perfect Storm, he knew catching
big fish meant big bucks, and earlier this year, he won a Golden
Globe for his performance as a bumbling fugitive in O Brother,
Where Art Thou? Now he goes for cold hard cash in Ocean's
Eleven, and his irresistible, ultra-cool charm makes him the
perfect choice to play Danny Ocean (who was played by Ol' Blue Eyes
himself in the original film).
As for the rest of the cast, Brad Pitt is equally at ease playing
Clooney's right-hand man, while Matt Damon also fits the bill as
the talented, but insecure thief who's out to make a name for himself.
Andy Garcia seems to relish playing the untouchable, egotistical
target of Clooney's plan, while Julia Roberts commands the screen
the moment she appears with one of the best movie entrances in years
(and for what it's worth, she and Clooney simply sizzle during their
brief time together). Rounding out the mighty cast are Elliott Gould,
who's virtually unrecognizable as a vengeful entrepreneur, Bernie
Mac, who plays a fast talking con artist, and Carl Reiner, the old
pro who's brought out of retirement to assist with the score.
The pacing is slow at times, the characterization is slightly underdeveloped,
and the screenplay could have used some snappier dialogue, but things
pick up once the Mission: Impossible-style heist gets under
way. Like other big score movies this year (including Sexy Beast,
Heist, and The Score) the real payoff comes near the
end with some interesting (albeit far-fetched) plot twists. Ocean's
Eleven is not going to win any awards, and it's not going to
break any new ground, but like a good round at the Blackjack table,
it's just good fun.
Just don't bet the house on it.
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