The Italian Job Review
by David N. Butterworth (dnb AT dca DOT net)June 26th, 2003
THE ITALIAN JOB
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2003 David N. Butterworth
**1/2 (out of ****)
The original "'Italian Job" (1969) was a classic caper film starring Michael
Caine, Noël Coward, and Benny Hill, highlighted by an exhilarating car chase through the streets, along the rivers, and down the sewers of Turin with three Mini Coopers leading the way.
With the redesigned Mini now on the roads, it's time (apparently) for a big budget remake of the same name (this time starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Edward Norton) with, once again, those nippy, zippy little subcompacts
providing the film its thrilling centerpiece.
Slick, sexy, and eminently watchable, F. Gary Gray's "The Italian Job" wastes no time in getting started. We're introduced to the cons who are soon to knock off $35 million in gold bullion: Charlie (the brains), played by Wahlberg;
Handsome Bob, the driver (Jason Statham); Seth Green as Lyle "The Napster" computer
geek; Mos Def as demolitions expert Left Ear (on account of his first successful
explosion in a school bathroom); safe cracker extraordinaire Stella Bridger (Theron); and Norton the... Well, I can't remember his role exactly but it becomes obvious soon enough since, as with almost all heist flicks, things do go awry.
Director Gray ("Friday," "The Negotiator") zips the action along like his patriotically painted Minis and there's some nice chemistry to be had between Wahlberg and Theron (Norton's performance, however, borders on the bored). And although the film is rated PG-13 (for violence and some language) this, like the original "'Job," is a family-friendly film with the emphasis on fun rather than on mean spiritedness. I liked that about it.
"The Italian Job" isn't Art, but it is rather Cool.
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David N. Butterworth
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
