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With a cast that my fiancée has described as “a wet dream come true” and a return to Las Vegas, “Ocean’s Thirteen” charms and delights in expected and satisfying ways. And considering that this caper dramedy is the surest bet you’ll find in Vegas, be ready to double down and get paid off in laughs and cheery swindling that has to be seen to be believed. Not bad for the third part of a franchise that began as a remake.
If the first time was for the girl and the second time was for their salvation, this time it’s for revenge. As the film opens, Reuben (Elliott Gould) is screwed over in a business deal by casino tycoon Willy Bank (Al Pacino), who subsequently leaves Reuben for dead as he suffers cardiac arrest.
Reuben doesn’t die, however. Instead he’s a rallying cry for Danny (George Clooney), Rusty (Brad Pitt), Linus (Matt Damon) and the rest of the gang (played by Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, et. Al) to reunite and seek vengeance on Bank. The plan is to steal $500 million from Bank’s new casino within three minutes and twenty seconds, and then take what Bank treasures most: priceless diamond necklaces that were awarded to him for running top-notch hotels, and are protected by an impenetrable security system (like that’s ever stopped these guys before).
There are some nice twists to the story, including Ocean’s gang asking former enemy Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) for help and brothers Virgil (Casey Affleck) and Turk (Scott Caan) getting immersed in a labor strike in Mexico. These latter scenes are some of the funniest in the movie, and further prove that Affleck is a substantially more talented actor than his brother Ben.
New to the cast are Pacino, who is evil in a Donald Trump, money-is-power-and-I-want-all-of-it sort of way, and the sultry Ellen Barkin as Bank’s right-hand woman, Abigail Sponder. Comedian David Paymer (“City Slickers”) also has a recurring cameo as a hotel evaluator who ends up on the wrong end of Danny/Rusty’s sabotage. Thankfully, neither Julia Roberts nor Catherine Zeta-Jones appears — isn't it interesting that the female leads have been the worst parts of the last two movies?
Director Steven Soderbergh is back for a third time, and effectively recaptures the whimsical spirit of the first film that was somewhat lost in the second. Part of the credit also goes to Brian Koppelman and David Levien’s (both of whom co-wrote “Rounders”) script, which remains focused and doesn’t get distracted by love stories or scurrying around Europe. With such a huge cast, the more centralized the locale the easier it is for Soderbergh to let the movie be a lighthearted good time rather than constantly trying to make sense of the chaotic storylines.
“Ocean’s Thirteen” is the rare cinematic treat in which we can see the actors having just as much fun making the movie as we’re having watching it. So go, laugh and enjoy.
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brunettemoments3
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... Ocean's Thirteen had all the components of a great action movie: a great plot, George Clooney, violence, and money. From 11 through 13 these have always been thrilling action flicks capable of holding anyone's attention. Great movie!  |
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