Movie Title: Ocean's Eleven
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy García, Julia Roberts, Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Don Cheadle, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner
Review: Dapper Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is a man of action. Less than 24 hours into his parole from a New Jersey penitentiary, the wry, charismatic thief is already rolling out his next plan. Following three rules: Don't hurt anybody, don't steal from anyone who doesn't deserve it, and play the game like you've got nothing to lose. Danny, along with his pal Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), and a rag tag group of con artists orchestrate the most sophisticated, elaborate casino heist in history.
Ocean's Eleven is good old fashioned fun with a fantastic ensemble cast. When watching this film, you get the sense that the actors participating are thoroughly enjoying making the movie. This translates to the movie itself as this film is fun-loving, entertaining, and a joy to watch. George Clooney does a great job as the charming, witty Danny Ocean, and Brad Pitt brings a similar array of attributes to his buddy, Rusty Ryan. What I really enjoy about this film, is that it follows an incredibly simple premise, but executes it in a way that is carefully crafted and complex. We get it. They're trying to rob a casino. But the attention to detail, and the way the plan all comes together just adds to the fun and excitement. The principal Ocean's trilogy from the 2000's is one of my favorites, but Ocean's Eleven is, in my opinion, the best of the bunch. A great start to a fun trilogy, and a movie that I highly recommend!
Fun Fact: Matt Damon's part as Linus Caldwell, the pick pocket, was meant for Mark Wahlberg. He turned it down in order to star in Planet of the Apes (2001). Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson were to play the brothers Virgil and Turk, but dropped out to film The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). Danny Glover also turned down the role of Frank Catton in order to be in that film.