Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Story: George C. Johnson, Jack Golden Russell
Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts
Music: David Holmes
Time: 117 minutes
Bottom-line: Highly impressive and stylish; a no-holds-barred joy ride

The early 2000s may be Soderbergh’s best period in cinema, as he directed three highly successful films during that time: Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s Eleven. A comparatively light-hearted heist drama, the film stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia and Matt Damon in the lead roles, with Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and many others playing the supporting roles. If Ocean’s Eleven is Soderbergh’s definition of a “fun-filled film”, he couldn’t have defined it in a better way than this.

Clooney as Daniel Ocean

Daniel Ocean (Clooney) is just released from prison. Violating his parole, he goes to LA to meet up with his friend "Rusty" Ryan (Pitt) to propose a plan for a robbery. The plan is to rob three casinos in Las Vegas: The Bellagio, MGM Grand and The Mirage, simultaneously. All three are owned by Terry Benedict (Garcia). Realising they need a big crew, Rusty and Daniel recruit eight more members, each with his own skill. They also receive help from Reuben, a man wanting to take revenge on Terry for bankrupting him. When Rusty finds out that Daniel is performing this heist because his ex-wife Tess (Roberts) is now with Terry, he starts to get suspicious. 3 Casinos. 11 Guys. 150 Million Bucks. Ready to Win Big?

Pitt as "Rusty" Ryan

There is no actual “plot development” here, but the main story starts right from the beginning. Except for a few scenes just to introduce the different members of the crew, there is no unnecessary scene or sequence. This is probably the main reason why Soderbergh was able to provide loads of entertainment within two hours of screen time. Then again, there is no character development either, but there is no need for that here. This is a film that focuses on how eleven men rob three casinos, and that’s it. Compare this with some film like Speed: a pure “popcorn thriller”. You wanted entertainment, you got it. That’s the reason I said Ocean’s Eleven is a comparatively light-hearted film.

Garcia as Terry Benedict (left) and Damon
as Linus

The acting is quite excellent too. George Clooney brings in style that can be associated with him alone. Accompanying him with an equally good lead performance is Brad Pitt. Others like Damon and Cheadle (who put on a cockney accent for this film) have done well too. Another aspect of the film that I liked is the humour. The script is witty, funny and crisp, but the actual humour and style that is screen on screen is mainly due to the acting. The dialogues, facial expressions and body language of the actors make this possible. Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts don’t disappoint either.

Julia Roberts as Tess 

I liked the background score by David Holmes, and the cinematography was quite good as well. There is no particular scene to look out for; every sequence has its own charm: a little thrill, little humour... This is not exactly a serious crime drama, but who cares! Ocean’s Eleven provides much more than just a caper film: it is perhaps one of the few films to make you sit on the edge of you seat for a moment, and immediately make you roll back laughing. And yes, there are as many twists and turns in the story as you would see in any other good crime film.

The members of "Ocean's Eleven"

Powered by terrific lead performances by Clooney and co., along with superb direction from Steven Soderbergh, Ocean’s Eleven promises entertainment every inch of the way. As long as you are 15 or older, you can watch the film with family. Don’t expect anything – just start watching and be surprised by what you see!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82%