"'Eleven' Angry Men"
by Scott Mantz

"Ocean's Eleven"
George Clooney, Brad Pitt,
Matt Damon, Julia Roberts
Directed by Steven Soderbergh

The dream team! George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould, and Don Cheadle hit the jackpot in "Ocean's Eleven"

OK, fellow movie lovers, place your bets!

With year's end right around the corner, the odds are pretty good that we'll finally see a good hand from the Hollywood house of cards. As far as star power is concerned, it doesn't get much better than "Ocean's Eleven," a film that boasts an all-star cast (including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts), an Oscar-winning director (Steven Soderbergh), and source material that dates back to the original Rat Pack (that would be Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. for those of you who don't watch American Movie Classics).

Even though the players involved took pay cuts to ensure a moderate budget (if you can call $80 million moderate), there's no doubt that "Ocean's Eleven" still represents a huge gamble for Warner Bros. (which also has hundreds of millions invested in a young wizard named Harry). While not quite the Blackjack that it could have been, "Ocean's Eleven" is still a strong hand that's as much fun to watch as it must have been to make. Thanks to a classic 1940's style feel and some immense chemistry between the leads, "Ocean's Eleven" fits the bill as an engaging and infectious holiday moviegoing experience.

Dapper Danny Ocean hasn't been out of the slammer for 24 hours, and he's already back to his old tricks planning the biggest heist of his career. The target? A maximum security vault at the center of three of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas. The contents? Up to $150 million in cash. Breaking into Fort Knox would be child play compared to this, so Ocean must enlist the help of an elite group of specialists--including (but not limited to) Rusty Ryan, a trusted confidant, Linus Caldwell, a master pickpocket with a lot to prove, and Basher Tarr, an explosives expert with an explosive temper. For Ocean, the stakes are even higher: Terry Benedict, the ruthless owner of the casinos, is dating his ex-wife. The problem? How is Ocean supposed to keep his mind on his talented team of kings when he can't get his mind off his former queen?

After 4 wildly ambitious--and very different--movies over the past three years (1998's "Out of Sight," 1999's "The Limey," and 2000's one-two punch of "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic"), there's no doubt that Steven Soderbergh is one of the premiere directors of his generation. That's why on a comparative level, "Ocean's Eleven" is something of a disappointment. Sure, it's cool and hip, but it's not as cool and hip as it wants to be. Then again, considering that the original "Ocean's 11" was quite boring and looks like it was done in one take, it makes sense. Also, instead of being an action-packed extravaganza, Soderbergh's "Ocean's Eleven" has more in common with the offbeat humor of "Out of Sight" than it does with anything the Rat Pack ever did.

On the other hand, thanks to a top-notch cast of high rollers, there's a cool breeze coming off this "Ocean." Ever since he left his "ER" scrubs in the dust a few years ago, George Clooney has gone through great lengths to play some very charismatic--and very greedy--big screen characters. He went from stealing uncut diamonds in 1998's "Out of Sight" to stealing Kuwaiti gold in 1999's "Three Kings." In last year's "The Perfect Storm," he knew catching big fish meant big bucks, and earlier this year, he won a Golden Globe for his performance as a bumbling fugitive in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Now he goes for cold hard cash in "Ocean's Eleven," and his irresistible, ultra-cool charm makes him the perfect choice to play Danny Ocean (who was played by Ol' Blue Eyes himself in the original film).

As for the rest of the cast, Brad Pitt is equally at ease playing Clooney's right-hand man, while Matt Damon also fits the bill as the talented, but insecure thief who's out to make a name for himself. Andy Garcia seems to relish playing the untouchable, egotistical target of Clooney's plan, while Julia Roberts commands the screen the moment she appears with one of the best movie entrances in years (and for what it's worth, she and Clooney simply sizzle during their brief time together). Rounding out the mighty cast are Elliott Gould, who's virtually unrecognizable as a vengeful entrepreneur, Bernie Mac, who plays a fast talking con artist, and Carl Reiner, the old pro who's brought out of retirement to assist with the score.

The pacing is slow at times, the characterization is slightly underdeveloped, and the screenplay could have used some snappier dialogue, but things pick up once the "Mission: Impossible"-style heist gets under way. Like other big score movies this year (including "Sexy Beast, "Heist," and "The Score") the real payoff comes near the end with some interesting (albeit far-fetched) plot twists. "Ocean's Eleven" is not going to win any awards, and it's not going to break any new ground, but like a good round at the Blackjack table, it's just good fun.

Just don't bet the house on it.

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