OCEAN'S ELEVEN
US, 2001, 116 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Elliot Gould, Carl Reiner, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Eddie Jemison, Topher Grace, Joshua Jackson.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Nothing to do with the sea. The title refers to thief, Danny Ocean, and his accomplices in an elaborate robbery of three Las Vegas casinos. This is a 'caper' film par excellence. It boasts very strong credits: from Oscar-winning director, Steven Soderbergh (Traffic - and films like Sex, Lies and Videotape and Erin Brockovich) to a star cast led by George Clooney as Ocean. Brad Pitt gives a fine comic performance as Ocean's associate and adviser and there are very good cameos from veterans Elliot Gould and Carl Reiner. Matt Damon plays the slow but finally effective accomplice and Don Cheadle sports a Cockey accent. Their target is ruthless casino manager Andy Garcia who is living with Ocean's estranged wife, played by Julia Roberts.
The first part of the film is the recruiting process and the planning and rehearsals. If this could happen in real life, then it would be an extraordinary feat of engineering, timing and daring - and luck. What the screenplay and the cast do is to let us sit back and watch the finesse with which they mislead the casino staff and get away with everything. There is a lot of wisecracking going on all the time which gives the comedy an entertaining wry edge. Much of this spirit derives from the original film of 1961 which was designed to be a showcase for the members of the 'Rat Pack', Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop (with Angie Dickinson and Henry silver from the original turning up as scarce in this film). Looking again at the original, we see that it is very slight and how much the remake improves on it.
1. An entertaining remake? The status of the original? This one for the 21st century, glamour, developments in technology, and to sequels?
2. A caper film, plausibility and implausibility, the variety of skills, timing, dangers? Giving it because we can!
3. Las Vegas, California, the views, the streets, the city in the casinos, exteriors, interiors, the floor was, offices, the reports? The musical score?
4. Introduction, Danny and his being examined for parole, his answers, his contacts, the card game and his meeting up with Rusty? The big bet?
5. Rusty and Danny and the discussions, the different style, rusty continually eating, the attitudes towards Terry Benedict? Ribbon, past with casinos, Terry Benedict, thinking the scheme impossible, joining in?
6. Rusty and Danny with the plan, rusty making the contacts, Frank, his work in casinos, his placement at the tables? The twins, the cars, rowdiness, their skills? The Chinese and the acrobatics at the circus? Basher, his being taken prisoner, rusty pretending to be the agent and releasing him? Livingstone, his work with computers, has been put down? Saw, in retirement, his age, watching the greyhounds, rusty being persuasive? Linus, his connections, a bit slow, Danny being persuasive?
7. The training, recreating the report, filming it and later substituting the robbery, the variety of tests?
8. Tests, her story, with Danny, his years in prison, the divorce, the being with Terry Benedict, working for the Gallery?
9. Terry Benedict, ruthless, the casinos, his plans for demolition and improvement?
10. The range of personalities in the team? Collaborating?
11. The scenario, the different roles for each? The execution, saw, receiving his box, persuading Terry Benedict to put it in the safe, his watching, feigning illness, his collapse, the group supplying the ambulance and his being taken out? The Chinese, rehearsing his leap, in the box for 30 minutes, open, the door? The twins, with the bulletins, blocking the camera, their carry on, the wheeling the container, as Salz assistance? Frank, Linus acting as the taxman, the confrontation, Terry Benedict present, Linus denouncing Frank, his being dismissed? The racial overtones? Basher, the stealing the of the machine from the University? Causing the blackout? The boxing match, Danny and his hiring the boxer, his being set up, the pretence? His going with Linus, opening the doors, Danny returning and appearing to be bashed? Rusty, swipe man on the phone, persuading Terry Benedict? The encounter with tests?
12. Tests, watching the scene, Terry Benedict’s opting for money, her leaving?
13. Danny, out after breaking his parole, the group joining, and a cheerfully amoral ending?
