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Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 10/25

10/25: Ocean's 11 or Ocean's Eleven?

The remake, of course. Its main attraction is the all-star cast which includes George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and so on. The Rat Pack may have been popular back then, but it's woefully dated today just like their movie. That's because smoking and drinking all the time isn't cool.

However, Ocean's Eleven is too workmanlike, taking the fun out of the equation. Sure, Steven Soderberg is a good director who knows how to insert style with sleekness, but nothing is believable just like so many previous heist pictures. The ending should be everybody looking at the water fountain in Las Vegas, not Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts picking up George Clooney at Rahway Prison in New Jersey.

When George Clooney was "beaten up" but still looked great afterwards, I was surprised that he easily passed Andy Garcia's ever-critical eye test. Remember the "pinch"? The gang, all of a sudden, thinks of it and knows where to steal one. Right... Ditto for picking up $160 million in cash; that's way too heavy, requiring a forklift (17,636 pounds if they were all in $20 bills).

All in all, Ocean's Eleven is popcorn cinema.

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