Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven is the remake of the 1960s caper, in which lovable con-artist Danny Ocean (George Clooney) has to assemble a team of eleven accomplices to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. Along the way the team have to go against the odds to ensure a successful job, but things get complicated when Danny’s ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts) causes an unforeseeable complication for our protagonist and his counterparts.
Now there is no hiding that this film is in the category of reboots, but credit has to be given when the remake not only surpasses the original but completely redefines the title. Soderbergh’s direction allows the audience to start with a fresh slate, almost forgetting that Frank Sinatra once donned the Danny Ocean role. The caper rushes along in an almost aerodynamic fashion, with a sleek mix of comedy, sheer intelligence and enough wonderful performances that viewers can’t help but being dragged along for the ride.
The cast is certainly a major strength for the movie with literally the majority of the Hollywood Yellow Pages participating in one way or another. Consisting of household names such as Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Mac and Roberts, Ocean's Eleven is certainly the definition of ‘Star Studded’. But unlike other extensive casts (for example The Expendables) there are no passengers on this picture. No one seems wasted and each individual character brings a new delight to the film.
However if you have to focus on clear examples, it is impossible to ignore the brilliance of Clooney and Pitt. These two really enhance the picture immensely without relying upon their star power. The performances are perfect with Clooney playing (as always) the smooth talking charmer, and Pitt encapsulating all things cool to take on the role of Danny’s right hand man Rusty Ryan. The duos dynamic is fresh and their chemistry excels on screen in such a way that the audience believes in their friendship. The scripts sharp wit really accentuates the dynamic between the two and on many occasions, you find yourself smirking at the glances they share. A wonderful example is when Danny persistently asks “you think we need one more?” whilst Rusty looks of blankly down the bar, which eventually leads to Danny to conclude with “alright we’ll get one more” .
Despite the irresistible interaction between Clooney and Pitt, it is impossible not to comment on how Ocean’s Eleven is an Intelligent film. The plot itself is intricately woven to enhance our admiration at the unfolding narrative and leaves us standing in awe as if we were watching a master sculptor craft his finest work in front of us. Ocean’s Eleven is wonderfully unique in a sense that it adopts a lack of seriousness but still retains an atmosphere of intellect that never once patronises the audience. For instance, there is a brilliant scene involving George Clooney’s and Matt Damon’s characters where Danny (Clooney) mid heist forgets the batteries for the detonator much to Linus’ (Damon) dismay. In any other smart crime film, this humour would seem forced, but what the movie masters is the perfect balance between an impressive plot and light-hearted fun.
The finale of the heist is a stroke of genius that is certainly not a let down. The direction is seamless in providing gradual insight into the inner working of the plot which is wrapped up in the most perfect of bows. Yet the pace is still maintained, with the audience left flabbergasted and avidly craving a rewind to cement the feel good feeling created by the revelation.
In my opinion Ocean’s Eleven warrants a place on any top ten list, as despite more serious brooding crime thrillers, this movie stands alone as a sophisticated feel good caper that also spouts intellectual brilliance. It’s hard to fault such a perfectly balanced film that just like an expert con artist maintains it’s poise, charm and excitement. Never short of witt and providing a flowing narrative that redefines the word sleek, I would recommend anyone who has not watched Oceans Eleven to rush down to your nearest store and buy a copy now.
My Score: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
IMDB: 7.8/10
Did you know?: Soderburgh originally wanted to shoot the film in black and white, Warner Brothers said the would only agree if Soderburgh drastically reduced costs. So he changed his mind.
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