If you’ve heard anything about the new ‘Ocean’s’ movie it likely had to do with gender. Yes, the latest film has swapped the hormones and the genitalia. But that’s pretty much all it has swapped. Having the film be from a female perspective does lend certain aspects of feminist to the criminality (clothing, setting, interests, etc.), but that’s the only real change. If you like ‘Ocean’s’ movies, then you are likely going to have a pretty good time with this one.
The formula here is straight out of the original. Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) gets out of prison and finds that here brother Danny (George Clooney) has passed away. This has little to do with the plot other than to tie the film to the others and invite a few cameos. Her first line of business, other than ripping off a hotel, is to meet up with her pal Lou (Cate Blanchett) and try to get a big caper together.
This leads to the hiring of Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Sarah Paulson, and a few others to try stealing an expensive necklace off of celebrity Daphne Kluger’s (Anne Hathaway) neck. There is obviously a lot more to it than that, but the fun of the whole thing is watching all the prep for the heist and then seeing how they pull it off. So, I will leave the plot to the actual movie watching experience.
What I can tell you is that this cast is impeccable. Sandra Bullock plays this with a similar level of charm to Clooney. Blanchett has the swagger that Brad Pitt brought to his role. And the other cast members similarly fill out the roles we are used to from the previous films. Even the music and editing is exactly the same. It’s like director Gary Ross just copied Soderbergh point for point, but put a female spin on it.
Which is just fine by me. The film isn’t brilliant or overtly funny, but it is fun and smart. It plays out with a swift pace, but not so break neck that you don’t have enough time to get to know the main characters. The actors are all wonderful. And, most importantly, it is entertaining in the same way it’s predecessors were. Not a ringing endorsement, I know, but it’s certainly worth your time and proves that girls can do this genre just as well as the boys. Which should come as no surprise. I mean, aren’t things always a little better with a woman in charge.
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