Movie Monday May 2: Ocean’s Eleven

My pick for this week is a movie that’s on the top of my rewatch list: Ocean’s Eleven. I love a heist movie, especially one where you, the audience, thinks things are going wrong or something is unaccounted for until the very end. Ocean’s Eleven and the sequels that followed definitely fulfill this.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

After being released from a New Jersey prison, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) has a plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos in one night. He recruits a crew of eleven, including his friend Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), to pull off the job. They spend weeks preparing and seemingly manage to overcome every obstacle. That is until Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) discovers that Danny’s ex wife Tess (Julia Roberts) is dating the owner of their targets, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). With his cover blown and the night of the heist underway, can this group of talented thieves pull it off, or will they all end up in prison, or worse, dead?

First of all, I love this series, including the newest spin-off Ocean’s Eight and the original Ocean’s 11. It’s great when a movie that is so character driven can also have an intriguing story that keeps everyone guessing. Speaking of character driven, the entire ensemble is amazing and work so well off of one another. Elliott Gould’s Reuben Tishkoff is always a stand out for me; as the money of the operation, he could be hands off but it seems like he definitely enjoys getting the better of his rival Terry. The movie also boasts some great cameos in the poker scene, with the likes of Topher Grace and Holly Marie Combs playing fictionalized versions of themselves.

Another aspect of Ocean’s Eleven I really love is Steven Soderbergh’s cinematography. The way this movie and the sequels were filmed is now iconic, with every cut and fade moving as smoothly as the team of thieves is working. This is especially true when revealing a crucial piece of information in the moment or through a flashback. We are kept in the dark and misdirected into thinking things are going wrong, and then boom— everything is back on track. Soderbergh is able to capture the essence of Vegas, with both the flashy exterior and the seedier underground. In the smaller, quieter moments, like the ending in front of the Bellagio fountain, there are powerful emotions that aren’t really in other aspects of the movie. He’s able to strike a nice balance, and one that works well for a mainstream movie compared with some of his more arthouse style films.

I’d have to say that this movie is my favorite heist movie of all time. The slick camera work, the seamless ensemble, the on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments, the well timed comedy, it all combines to make a great film. There’s a reason I watch Ocean’s Eleven again and again; it’s just that good.

One thing I loved: The dynamic between Clooney and Pitt. Their characters are basically in each other’s heads the entire time and make for an iconic film duo. The understated comedy that they are able to bring, usually by playing the straight men to the bigger personalities, really works.

One thing that made me hold my breath: When “The Amazing” Yen (Shaobo Qin) is stuck in the vault. I won’t say much else, but the first time I watched Ocean’s Eleven, I was convinced this was where it would all go wrong.

Overall, I’d give Ocean’s Eleven 9.5 poker chips out of 10.