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Overall Rating
  Awesome: 26.73%
Worth A Look: 43.32%
Average: 21.66%
Pretty Bad: 5.53%
Total Crap: 2.76%
15 reviews, 127 user ratings
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| Ocean's Eleven (2001) |
by MP Bartley
"Too Cool For School"
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I've always been irritated by the fawning hype around the original 'ratpack'. Frank Sinatra was a racist, sexist, homphobic idiot. Dean Martin a barely sensible alcoholic, Sammy Davis Jr a sychophantic hanger-on, and the rest of them barely rate a mention in life, let alone movies. So the fact that the original 'Ocean's 11' is seen as the epitome of cool has always stuck in my throat. Which makes the fact that this version blasts it off the screen even more pleasureable.Because make no mistake, this is one re-make that has no problem with blowing away the original. Whereas the original was just one long ego trip for Sinatra, this version has nothing more in mind than what a trip to Vegas should entail...FUN.
George Clooney takes the Sinatra role of Danny Ocean newly released from prison. But the quiet civilian life is not for Danny Ocean and he quickly contacts old partner Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) who is making a living teaching Hollywood actors how to gamble. Ocean outlines his plan to take off three Las Vegas casinos in one night with the total of approximately 160 million dollars. The owner of the targeted casinos is Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) who now happens to be dating Danny's ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts). Ryan agrees to the plan but on the condition that a big enough team is assembled to pull it off, leading to the assembling of the team, including ex-casino owner Reuben (Elliot Gould), cockney explosives expert Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle)and rookie pick-pocket Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon). The team duly assembled they head to Vegas to break into what is known as the most elaborate system ever devised...
One of the most striking and refreshing things about 'Ocean's 11' is that it plays to the audience. By this I mean that despite the amount of stars in the film it isn't a 'starry' film. Sure, Clooney headlines but this isn't about Gorgeous George demanding seventeen close-ups. It's about Clooney adding yet another role to his c.v. that suggests when it comes to smooth-talking, charmers he's the man. He strolls through each scene with a quiet, breezy confidence that suggests he's having the time of his life. It's a feeling that runs throughout the whole cast. Julia Roberts, despite having around five scenes tops, sparks mightily with him and Garcia, showing why the two man would do so much for her. And Garcia just glares fire as he stalks around the casino and hotel like Dracula on his day job. Of course the slender running time means there's no time for indepth characterisation but damnit there's a heist to be had!
But reviewing the movie is impossible without mentioning the chemistry between Clooney and Pitt. Pitt gives a nonchalant, lightly comical performance that clicks wonderfully with Clooney, showing a professional yet affectionate relationship between them. It's not often you get that kind of on-screen partnership between two such big stars and Soderbergh rightly plays it to the full.
After the rigours of 'Traffic', 'Ocean's 11' feels like Soderbergh letting rip and just having a blast. The best thing is it's not self-indulgent (unlike the original) he ensures that the audience is having a great time as well. There's no let up to the brisk pace,no time for character fall outs that would unbalance the piece, just a quick stride from character introduction to the beautifully worked out heist.It's cool and it's classy. But Soderbergh still finds time to lace his direction with wit and invention. Check out the demolition of the old casino, with Tarr watching it on tv oblivious to the fact that it's actually behind him.
There are a few flaws. Why Soderbergh allowed Cheadle to keep his alleged cockney accent is a mystery. And Damon's Caldwell seems just ever so slightly out of step with everyone else. And when it comes down to it the actual robbery seems pretty easy.
True, the pace and sheer star factor means it's as shallow as Vegas itself. But that's the point. It's not meant to be a dark, moody piece about gangsters with guns blazing. If only all crooks could be this fun. It's meant to be a old-fashioned joy-ride. And it is.When British film-makers seem intent on giving us nothing but gangster comedys, here comes one from a guy who knows how it should be done. How to fill out an impossibly good looking cast and give everyone their five minutes of fame. And the audience their full two hours worth of entertainment.
link directly to this review at https://www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=3897&reviewer=293
originally posted: 02/22/02 00:35:57
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OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2005 CineVegas Film Festival For more in the 2005 CineVegas Film Festival series, click here.
Trilogy Starters: For more in the Trilogy Starters series, click here.
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USA
07-Dec-2001 (PG-13)
UK
N/A
Australia
10-Jan-2002
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