Ocean's Eleven (2001) - 10 stars out of 10
This movie is definitely in my Top 10. This masterpiece begins and ends with its script. This intricate heist is believable, unpredictable, and in spite of creating a (strategically) major moment of confusion, it explains itself in an easy-to-follow and succinct manner. The dialogue varies between sophistication and comedic, but it is all so natural that you will forget that you are watching actors. Even though it has been popular since its release (and inspired two sequels), I believe that it is severely underrated and believe that at the very least, this script deserved an Oscar nomination. The only thing working against this is that it is a comedy, but this script is still lightyears ahead some of the nominees in 2002. Steven Soderbergh did a great job conducting and his cinematography gives the film a very sleek look. It is difficult to go wrong when your film includes the names of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, et al. Bernie Mac is hilarious, especially in the interrogation scene, and Carl Reiner's role-within-a-role is reminiscent of the actors of old with a finesse that we do not often see anymore. (P.S. Still love Reiner as Alan Brady in The Dick Van Dyke Show) Elliott Gould makes me smile every time that he appears on the screen and who could forget all of the cameos by the poker-playing movie stars! The chemistry between Clooney and Pitt feels incredibly natural, almost like we get to be a part of their friendship, Matt Damon is at his finest while Casey Affleck still fails to impress me (and is somehow as bad as his big brother). Outside of the incredible cast bringing this amazing script to life, the shots of Las Vegas are wonderful while the dialogue and character quirks (like Pitt's incessant eating) will keep you laughing. It may not have won any Oscars but it didn't need to in order to capture my heart. I love heist films and "Ocean's Eleven" is tops on my list!
No comments:
Post a Comment