Ocean's Eleven Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)December 10th, 2001
OCEAN'S ELEVEN
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Danny Ocean (George Clooney) leaves a New Jersey prison with a plan and a secret agenda. He lays out the plan to old pal Rusty (Brad Pitt) - knock off the vault of the Bellagio Hotel, which also covers the MGM Grand and the Mirage, during the night of a big fight to the tune of about $160 million. Danny and Rusty can't pull this off alone so the two find the talents they'll need to make up "Ocean's Eleven."
After the one-two punch of "Erin Brokovich" and "Traffic" last year, director Steven Soderbergh gathered a group of fun loving guys (and lone girl, Julia Roberts) and headed to Las Vegas to remake this high profile romp.
Soderbergh's
style, Ted Griffin's witty script and a talented cast whip up into frothy fun.
The only real pleasure in the original "Ocean's 11" was being let into the Rat Pack circle for a couple of hours. While there's no crooning ability to be found in the remake's cast, they certainly seem like a bunch of cool cats who enjoy goofing on each other.
The film begins by making its audience Danny Ocean's parole board. Clooney faces the camera, lies through his teeth, and, most amazingly, manages to smirk using only the corner of his eye. This Danny Ocean is the kind of guy who always leaves a prison sporting a tuxedo in crumpled morning after fashion.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - Brad Pitt should stick to comedy. His Rusty is introduced teaching poker to Hollywood types (Topher Grace of "Traffic" and TV's "That 70's Show" and Joshua Jackson of "Skulls" appear as themselves). Rusty's frustration turns to appreciation when Danny appears at his table and fleeces the lot. Clooney and Pitt have more onscreen chemistry than most celluloid lovers.
After procuring the blessing of backer Reuben Tishkoff, (Elliott Gould, in fine hilarious fettle) who deems their plan impossible until hearing that it's aimed at his arch rival Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), the two branch off to form their team. Turk (Scott Caan, "Novocaine") and Virgil (Casey Affleck, "Good Will Hunting") Malloy are found pitting one's monster truck driving skills against the other's remote controlled mini vehicle. Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle, "Rush Hour 2") is a cockney ('We're in Barney. Rubble. Trouble.') explosives expert. Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison, "Schizopolis") is their professional eavesdropper. Danny easily finds Frank Catton (Bernie Mac, "The Original Kings of Comedy") working at the Vegas tables, then deals the first of many humiliations (offset too, the stories go) to Matt Damon's Linus, the son of an old colleague, by lifting his wallet as means of introduction. Rusty finds Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner, never better) at the track
and lures him out of retirement before taking Danny to a Vegas show to check out their 'grease man,' Chinese contortionist Yen (Shaobo Qin).
Rusty soon finds out that Reuben's not the only one with a grudge against Terry Benedict, who happens to be seeing Danny's ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts, busy suppressing a grin in her first scene). Danny is determined to win her back. Rusty's fearful of Danny's agenda and sidelines him, but there's no stopping an Ocean.
Soderbergh, acting as his own cinematographer, slickly assembles his heist, letting the pieces slide into place like tumblers in a lock. If the moment of the actual theft is a bit of a let down, it's because we're duped along with Terry Benedict. Soderbergh gets in a last laugh by wrapping with a sequel suggestive shot.
"Ocean's Eleven" may be the first film whose cast party *is* the movie.
B
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