Ocean’s Eleven
Might contain spoilers.
What a blast this movie is! It really reminds me of what ‘Hollywood star’ once meant. There’s a reason why actors like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and even Matt Damon could sell films. Clooney and Pitt, especially, look and sound indescribably good. Elliot Gould and Carl Reiner very nearly steal every scene they’re in as Reuben and Saul. Shaobo Qin’s gymnastics as Yen have to be seen to be believed.
I love Scott Caan and (as much as I hate to say it) Casey Affleck as the endlessly squabbling siblings. Linus’s horror when Danny makes him stay in the van and his inability to cope when the boys start a game of 20 Questions (with Virgil guessing Evil Knievel in just two questions) then argue over who’s touching whom is excellent.
Now, it does feel like a film from 2001 and there are some abrupt cuts. Tess hasn’t got much to do except fall out of and then back into love with Danny.[1] Don Cheadle’s cockney accent is famously bad. Andy Garcia is a serviceable but indistinct villain, perhaps to make room for the heroes to shine. Still, despite all of that, it’s ridiculous to even consider comparing the mediocre Ocean’s Eight to this instant classic.
- Not that falling in love with George Clooney is a bad thing.↩