OUT OF SIGHT
US, 1998, 123 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Catherine Keener, Dennis Farina, Steve Zahn, Albert Brooks, Luis Guzman, Isaiah Washington, Viola Davis, Nancy Allen, Michael Keaton, Samuel L Jackson.
Directed by Steven Soderberg.
Elmore Leonard writes crisp, pacy, crime actioners. “hard-boiled” is often used about his characters and plots.
Out of Sight fulfils these descriptions.
George Clooney is a recalcitrant bank robber who relies on charm rather than physical violence. He is shrewd but definitely not infallible. He gets caught up in jail escape, a plan to rob a Wall Street type, and an attraction towards a US Marshall, Jennifer Lopez, who continually tracks him down.
Director Steven Soderberg is best-known for dramas and he brings this skill to enhance the thriller. Dialogue is often witty. The range of criminals is from forgivable to repellent and the plot has some good twists.
Clooney is well suited to this role. Supporting cast is very good with appearances by Michael Keaton and Samuel L.Jackson. An entertaining Elmore Leonard story.
1. The title? An Elmore Leonard story? Set in his favourit, Florida and Detroit?
2. The career of Steven Soderberg, his many collaborations with George Clooney?
3. Characters, serious and comic, criminals and their crime, robberies and white collar, the law, prison?
4. The title, its overtones?
5. Jack Foley and his story, George Clooney, the style of the 1990s? First impression of Jack, his anger and frustration, going into the bank, the suave conversation with the bank teller, the setup with the official at the table, going to steal the car, it’s not starting, the police waiting, in prison, his past life and prison connections?
6. Chino and his associates, their place in the prison, the tunnel, Jack having information, talking to the guard, to meet in the chapel? His phone calls to Adele? The lights, the guns? The guards, the lights of the shootouts? And Karen’s witnessing it all? Buddy, his background, Jack’s buddy, arriving with the car, helping, the escape?
7. Glenn, dumb, with the car, running out of petrol, the reaction to Jack, talking with him, Buddy’s reasons for having him along, going to the car, Karen persuading him to drive off?
8. The visit to Adele, her life, circus and explanations? With Jack? Karen’s visit? Glenn and his fascination about the circus?
9. Jack and, the guns, in that trunk together, close, their talk and repartee, the gun, the surrender, and Karen smart in going with Glenn?
10. Karen, father, the gift of the gun for her birthday, the boyfriend and his role in the FBI, the father and his pride in his daughter?
11. Jack and Buddy, waiting in the hotel lobby, waiting to carry? Cameron wanting to be involved in the search, yet they are they going upstairs to the empty room? The plan, the robbery, Ripley, the contacts in prison, Maurice, his role? Glenn and his involvement? Going to Detroit?
12. , His role, at home, his sister and her strong stance?
13. Ripley, white-collar, in prison, Maurice and the attack, the stabbing? Getting out? Everybody going to Detroit? Everybody going to the house, Midge and her relationship with Ripley, Lies? Her giving the code?
14. John and Buddy finding Ripley hiding, discussion, the fish tank and the diamonds? The fiasco with the shootings, the fat man and eating and shooting? The confrontation with Maurice? His death? Karen coming into the house, watching, shooting and saving Jack?
15. Jack and his arrest, travel in the van with Samuel L Jackson, the uncertainty of the ending – with Karen keeping an eye on Jack?
