A better than average film

Rating: 8/10 (19 September 2003)

The Italian Job is an ultra slick crime/revenge film, which is not a remake of the original as some believe. There has been much discussion about this, but all one has to do is see the cast from the original to know that that film was more of a comedy. This film focuses on the heists themselves, the planning, and the cat and mouse anticipatory skills one needs when committing such acts. The acting is satisfactory from a group of top flight actors: Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, etc. , but no more than that. The material is beneath Norton, and he's really not on screen enough to warrant an actor of his caliber. Theron seems an odd fit in the film, but has one of the best scenes with Norton in a restaurant. There are several terrific action scenes involving boat and car chases and great location filming. An interesting trivia note: there's a glimpse of the recently renovated Roosevelt Hotel, the site of the very first academy awards ceremony. It was brand new at that time. The script doesn't allow for a lot of character development, and this is the type of film where the characters exist to serve the plot. The film is still enjoyable and better than average for its type. *** of 4 stars.