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Ocean's Eleven movie overview

In 2001, indie mastermind Stephen Soderbergh was at the top of his game. He had quickly risen through the Hollywood ranks with intelligent films that challenged audiences, impressed critics, and garnered the respect of his industry peers. Even a pulpy heist flick like ‘Ocean’s 11’ stood out from the crowd, receiving rave reviews and grossing more than $450 million worldwide. For once, I don't plan to argue with that consensus. There’s nothing like watching a bunch of sure-handed, quick-witted anti-heroes develop and execute an unimaginably elaborate heist.

’Ocean’s Eleven’ introduces us to Danny Ocean (George Clooney), a criminal mastermind whose unshakably cool demeanor masks a staggering intellect. Danny has emerged from a stint in prison, obsessed with robbing three of Vegas’ top casinos at once. His target? Casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), a ruthless businessman who stores the daily profits of all his casinos in a single, impenetrable vault. Danny assembles the best thieves in the business -- a close friend (Brad Pitt), a young upstart (Matt Damon), an old hand (Carl Reiner), a British demolitions expert (Don Cheadle), a loud-mouthed conman (Bernie Mac), and two bickering foot-soldiers (Scott Caan and Casey Affleck), among others. He even takes some time to reconnect with his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) in the midst of his heist plans.

Soderbergh’s first ‘Ocean’ film is easily the strongest of the trilogy -- it also happens to be one of my favorite films of all time. Ted Griffin’s light-footed screenplay is rife with stylish dialogue that the cast delivers with sharp tongues and cool wit. Better still, the interplay between Clooney and Pitt instantly imbues the pair with a classic sense of loyalty and friendship. The plot doesn’t even have to take time to fill in the origins of the supporting characters, because the lead performances make such minor backstories irrelevant. The tone of the ensemble's interactions suggests a long-running relationship between most of the thieves, allowing the imagination to simmer with thoughts of other jobs the crew have worked on in the past.

The script is supported by Soderbergh’s breezy direction, perfect pacing, and effortless editing. The director is a confident storyteller and there isn’t a single scene that doesn’t serve a purpose. His first act establishes everything a viewer needs to know, while introducing a pile of characters at breakneck speed -- it’s a testament to Soderbergh’s talent that each player receives plenty of attention without losing anyone in the shuffle. The second act loads everyone onto a rollercoaster as the bunch plan their heist. It’s an intricate setup, but Soderbergh keeps the robbery clear and concise (while still concealing every trick and turn from his audience). Everything collides in a thrilling final act that balances sleight of hand with humor to deliver a truly satisfying end to the tale. The climactic heist is epic and entertaining -- a stunning finale that’s as mesmerizing now as it was the first time I saw it.

How good is ‘Ocean’s Eleven?’ It sets the bar so high that its two sequels have a difficult time living up to its standards. Its tone and style may not be for everyone (as evidenced by a small but disgruntled crowd that doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about), but it’s the sort of flick I can throw in again and again. I adore the engaging screenplay, the clever performances, and Soderbergh’s whimsical take on the heist film. In the end, ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ is a true genre classic that everyone should see at least once.

Ocean's Eleven movie cast and crew

Directed by
Steven Soderbergh


George Clooney

Cecelia Ann Birt  

Paul L. Nolan
 
Carol Florence
 
Lori Galinski

Bernie Mac
 
Brad Pitt  

Mark Gantt  

Timothy Paul Perez  

Elliott Gould  

Frank Patton  

Casey Affleck

Scott Caan  

Eddie Jemison

Ocean's Eleven movie review

You're on a roll of critically lauded, commercially successful movies, a roll of such momentum that you've just snagged an Oscar (Traffic) and are, according to many, the Best Director Working In Hollywood Today. Great. But what now? How do you live up to those former glories? Or, more pertinently, just how the hell do you top them?

There are three options. One, the James Cameron method (do nothing at all bar revel in your self-proclaimed title as King Of The World). Two, strive for even bigger and greater things, ardently tackling projects of ever increasing scope and ambition - - let's call it the David Lean method. Or three, ignore the expectations and simply make a film for fun, just as Spielberg churned out The Lost World to cast off the shadows of Schindler's List and Amistad.

Steven Soderbergh has wisely taken the third option with Ocean's Eleven, a loose remake of the utterly forgettable Rat Pack flick released in 1960. By his own admission this is not a substantial movie, a complex movie or even a particularly challenging movie, for it has little depth and next to no emotional resonance. Put another way, it certainly won't win him a second Oscar. What it will do, however, is pack in punters on a Friday night and send them reeling back out with foolish grins plastered from ear to ear. Why? Because movies just don't get any more slick, entertaining or downright cool than this.

We first meet Danny Ocean (George Clooney) as he sits before the parole board, cocky and charming despite the circumstances. A big-time thief linked to 12 major robberies but charged for only one, he's now served his time and is ready to up and out.

Upon release, Danny immediately hooks up with his old partner in crime, Rusty (Brad Pitt), and the two begin to fine-tune a heist so outrageous it's almost the stuff of sci-fi: to take out the impenetrable vault shared by three of Las Vegas' biggest casinos, The Bellagio, The Mirage and The MGM Grand. And if that's not enough, they're going to do it on World Title Fight Night (Lennox Lewis gets a cameo, thankfully non-speaking), meaning there'll be upwards of $160 million to be skimmed.

Ocean's Eleven is, purely and simply, a genre movie, a heist flick that lovingly obeys the rules set by its many predecessors. First off, much fun is had with the old standby of assembling the crew, as Danny and Rusty gather together the nine other crims - - each with their own area of expertise - - needed to do job. Then there's the elaborate reconnaissance op, as the guys systematically case the joints, learning the casinos' every pulse, beat and rhythm. And finally there are the practice runs, the team honing their skills in a full size replica of the unbreakable vault.

But fun as all this malarkey undoubtedly is, it's Soderbergh's souffle-light, super-bright direction and the actors' throbbing charisma that makes Ocean's Eleven as dazzling as The Strip itself. Clooney may be riffing on his Jack Foley persona from Out Of Sight and Pitt may be just looking good `n' playing cool, but their sparkling repartee is so effortless it recalls the blokey banter of a Howard Hawks movie. The other guys, too - - including Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan and Carl Reiner - - also play Hawksian types, consummate pros as loyal as they are dependable. And the comparison even stretches as far as Julia Roberts' Tess. A tough-talking, no nonsense dame who can more than hold her own against the big boys, it's hard to imagine many actresses making so much of such a small (but vitally important) role. To say more would be to give the game away.

Two other stars also deserve special mention. The first is Andy Garcia, who is so good as Terry Benedict, the suave owner of the three casinos, that he almost steals the film from the team of thieves. And the second is Vegas itself. We get helicopter shots past the Stratosphere, tracking shots along The Strip and complete access to the casinos in question - incredible considering the whole movie is about robbing these very joints blind.

Incredible also serves as a description for Soderbergh's bold use of music, his decision to blend Jazz fusion with the likes of Berlin's `Take My Breath Away' and Norman Greenbaum's `Spirit In The Sky' is revelatory. Who'd have thought that this gawky, balding, bespectacled director would become Hollywood's coolest man?