Poker

When Daniel Ocean is released from prison in New Jersey, his next robbery is already planned. Danny Ocean (Clooney) wants to score the biggest robbery in history. He combines an eleven team member, including Frank Catton (Mac), Rusty Ryan (Pitt) and Linus Caldwell (Damon). Danny’s target are three Las Vegas casinos: The Bellagio, the Mirage and the MGM Grand. They all belong to hard and selfish entrepreneur Terry Benedict, who, by the way, also shows a certain interest in Danny’s beautiful ex-wife Tess. During a much-anticipated boxing event (Lennox Lewis vs. Wladimir Klitschko), there will be $150 million in the safe, 70 yards below the strip. So, Danny starts to hire professionals from all over the country: There’s the card magician Rusty Ryan, the perfect pickpocket Linus Caldwell and the ingenious pyrotechnician Basher Tarr. Reuben Tishkoff, who lost a casino to Benedict, provides funding, the brothers Virgil and Turk Malloy will drive and help, and Frank Catton, a professional card dealer, gets a job at the casino to watch the routines. Saul Bloom, already retired, will play the rich heavy weaponry dealer and live in the hotel, while Livingston Dell bugs the place to have a look over the shoulders of the security personnel. Finally, the chinese acrobat artist Yen will be the one to move inside the safe before the motion detectors are turned off. There are three rules to be followed: First: no blood. Second: Rob only who deserves it. Third: Do it as if you have nothing to lose.

What makes the story so intriguing is the fact that Danny’s mission seems so impossible: security in the casinos is paramount and the route to the reward is littered with obstacles. The number of close calls that the gang is faced with is great fun and one can’t help but root for these crooks throughout the film. It is also refreshing to watch a film which is dominated by male stars and is not filled with macho swearing. Instead, we have a banter between the stars which is indicative of their camaraderie.

‘Ocean’s Eleven’ is a welcome option in the choice of movies available at the moment which is dominated by Oscar nominees that are not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. With this film, it’s simply a case of sit back and enjoy the fun!