Glorious Fluff

Rating: 9/10 (17 June 2007)

In a scene from "Ocean's Thirteen" Brad Pitt's Rusty Ryan asks George Clooney's teary eyed Danny Ocean, "Are you watching Oprah?" A few moments later Pitt's eyes well as both watch "Oprah" and he says, "So they are really going to build her a house" Clooney and Pitt are hysterical and making fun of their classic leading men personas. They are clearly having fun doing so. Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Thirteen" is not just fluff; it is glorious fluff. This comical revenge tale by Brian Koppelman and David Levien is smart, funny and basically an excuse for a bunch of very talented actors to hang out and have fun. You have Academy Award Winners or Nominees Clooney, Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Al Pacino all together in one movie, who all enjoy working with each other. Soderbergh's "Ocean's Thirteen" is not ground breaking movie making; however, it is breezy cool at its best.
In "Ocean's Thirteen" Willie Banks (Al Pacino) betrays Reuben (Elliot Gould) in a hotel casino deal that nearly costs Reuben his life. Consequently, Danny, Rusty, Linus (Matt Damon) and the rest of the crew come to Rueben's rescue. Danny and Rusty also enlist the expertise of security strategist Roman (Eddie Izzard) to break the casino of the Banks Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. The Banks Hotel caters to the "whales"extreme high rollers. However, Roman informs Danny and Rusty that the Banks Casino employs the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence system called "Greco"named after its inventor Greco Montgomery (Julian Sand). The system is virtually fool proof. When part of their plan falters Danny is forced into an alliance with former rival Terry Benedict (ruthless Andy Garcia). At the same time there is a hilarious subplot involving a worker revolt in a dice manufacturing plant in Mexicoyou really have to see the movie to appreciate this.
There is nothing really distinctive about "Ocean's Thirteen" storyit is well paced and executed. The dialog is crisp, clever, and funny. Al Pacino does what he was hired to do which is gnaw on the scenery. He is masterful. Matt Damon makes a hilarious comic turn as Linus disguises himself as Lenny Pepperidge, the interpreter of a Chinese high roller. Don Cheadle is solid as Basher, doubling as expert engineer and motorcycle daredevil. George Clooney is smart, charming, and cool as Danny Ocean. Brad Pitt is at his breezy best, and again demonstrates his gift as a natural straight manalbeit to Clooney's Ocean. "Ocean's Thirteen" is basically a guys' movieliterally. One saving grace is the stunning and strong Ellen Barkin as Banks' right hand Abigail Sponder.
Steven Sonderbergh hinted that this maybe the last "Ocean's". With "Ocean's Thirteen" being this much fun to watch, and apparently to make; he should keep on going. All involved are great and having a great time.