Oceans Eleven (2001) - Oceans 11

If nothing else, Steven Soderbergh’s stylish version of Ocean’s Eleven will go down in history as a remake which was superior to its source. This, of course, doesn’t give it the air of respectability that something genuinely original might have, but then this is a film about a charismatic gang of thieves pulling off an audacious heist, and there is no such thing as an original heist movie, so perhaps we should also give Soderbergh’s movie bonus points for at least admitting that it’s unoriginal.

Not original, maybe, but it is terrifically entertaining. In fact Soderbergh aims to purely entertain and on this front, succeeds brilliantly. This is suave rather than sophisticated and no-one does suave like Soderbergh directing George Clooney. Not these days at any rate.

Joining Clooney and Soderbergh, are an excellent cast of familiar faces including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts, Elliot Gould and Don Cheadle. All – you get the impression – there because they thought it would be fun to do, rather than because the film would be a classic. An accusation levelled at the Rat Pack original, but here the sense of fun is infectious and much easier to stomach than Sinatra and his pals pretending to be much younger than they actually were.

The real trump card here is the script by Ted Griffin (previously responsible for the similarly witty Ravenous and Best Laid Plans), the exchanges between Clooney and Roberts are especially enjoyable.

This is slight stuff indeed and you might find it forgettable once the credits have rolled. Soderbergh and his cast get away with it, though, and you’ll be too charmed to care. (VH)