ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Ocean's 11

Robbery: Crime is a Family Affair

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Robbery introduces us to Frank, a veteran thief who has been diagnosed with dementia and lives with his son, Richie. A thief himself, Richie realizes that he is now in a race against time if he plans to make use of his father’s criminal expertise. In order to pay off Richie’s gambling debt, the duo plan a series of reckless heists that may pay off the debt but also garners the attention of a local crime boss.

Written and directed by Corey Stanton, Robbery is an ambitious take on the heist film that ultimately focuses more on relationships than ‘the big score’. Featuring a compelling set-up filled with issues that range from dealing with dementia to the every-day challenges of First Nations peoples, the film is ambitious in scope and has much to say, even as character prepare to bring down the big casino. In doing so, Robbery establishes itself as something entirely different and unique from other heist films such as Ocean’s 11, Hustlers or even The Art of the Deal. Through his use of characters, Stanton creates complex relationships that serves to give meaning to the various robberies in unexpected and creative ways.

Unfortunately, it’s also this ambition that causes Robbery to struggle by attempting to pack too much into its runtime. While the cast handle themselves well (especially veteran Art Hindle and relative newcomer Sera-Lys McArthur), the script simply wants to cover too much ground in a short period of time. In other words, though character relationships have intriguing and surprising backgrounds, the film never really has the opportunity to explore them and, as a result, many of scenes feel rushed. (In fact, had the film been released as a limited series, the script would have very much benefitted from the extra time in order to fully realize its potential.) 

Though it takes the structure of a heist film, Robbery is most interested in what it means to deal with the sins of our fathers. Though working together, Richie is very-much burdened by his history with Frank. Even as Frank’s mind has begun to dissipate, Richie is left to wrestle with his complicated history with him. Despite the sadness of watching him slowly lose himself to dementia, Richie still holds anger towards him in a way that drives a wedge in their relationship. As a result of his inner rage, Richie fails to view Frank for his humanity and only for his usefulness in helping him learn how to properly commit crimes. (Similarly, Winona also carries a burden of her relationship with her own father that continues to motivate her as well.) Faced with his biggest heist, Richie must decide not only if he can trust Frank, but if he should forgive him for their past as well.

Featuring some interesting backstories and characters looking for the big score, Robbery has all the makings of an interesting and engaging heist film. Having said that, the script struggles to balance so many stories and twists in such a short runtime. Because of that, Robbery may steal your heart but doesn’t offer the payoff it deserve.

Robbery breaks into Toronto’s Carlton Theatre on October 4th, 2019.

Ocean’s Eleven: Danny’s Perfect Hand

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George Clooney is ubiquitous. Last week we all saw him at Prince Harry and Megan’s wedding. He looked as much a part of a fairy tale as the wedding itself – suave and handsome, with his young wife on his arm. The Daily Express ran a story that same day with the opening line: “GEORGE Clooney and his stunning wife Amal stole the show at the Royal Wedding in Windsor today.” George seems to have it all. But at the beginning of Ocean’s Eleven, his character, Danny Ocean, has lost it all. His wife had left him before he was sent to prison. And he describes how the distraction of that loss led to him being caught in his latest illegal caper.

The parole board gives him his freedom, but freedom isn’t enough. He wants to get his wife back, and he has devised a plan to do that – and make a bit of cash in the process. Danny finds out his old partner in crime, Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) is teaching movie stars* how to play poker. He decides to sit in on a game, and takes them for a bundle when Rusty thinks he is bluffing. Afterward Danny tells Rusty about the proposed heist, and Rusty asks why he wants to do it. Ocean responds:

Because the house always wins. You play long enough and never change the stakes, the house takes ya. Unless, when that perfect hand comes along, you bet big. And then you take the house.

Danny believes the plan he has devised is the perfect hand. The scheme is a complicated one, and will require some help. Of course. How else could you have a heist movie called “Ocean’s Eleven”? Besides Danny and Rusty, here are the other nine, and their roles in the caper.

  1. Frank Catten (Bernie Mac) – Frank is a blackjack dealer in New Jersey at the beginning of the movie. Ocean’s old associate, he tells him how to find Rusty. He has been using an alias (Ramón) so he can work in casinos. In order to participate in the heist as an insider, he requests a transfer to a “warmer, drier climate” due to “allergies.”
  2. Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner) – Saul has been out of prison for a year, and says he is now a “changed man,” wanting no part of the deal. However, when he finds out the amount of money involved, he’s in. Saul poses as Lyman Zerga, an arms dealer from Europe. He asks casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) to secure his briefcase in the vault. The briefcase contains large fake jewels which have been filled with explosives. The purpose is not only to get the explosives into the vault, but to provide an opportunity to get into the security room. Saul will fake his death† in order to distract the security team so the team can change the video feed without the guards detecting it.
  3. Reuben Tishoff (Elliot Gould) – He tells Danny no one has ever successfully robbed a Las Vegas Casino.‡ He wants no part in it until he learns the casinos belong to Terry Benedict, who had muscled Reuben out of a share in a casino that Benedict is now tearing down. (Danny can be seen reading an article about this near the beginning of the movie.)
  4. Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison) – With a name like Dell, Livingston has to be the electronics guy. He is rather a klutz, which makes for some melodramatic moments. His responsibilities include tapping into the security system. He has to draw a map of the secure area of the casino on his hand to find his way, and almost gets lost when the map becomes smeared from wiping the sweat off his brow.
  5. Yen (Qin Shaobo) – This short Chinese acrobat is recruited as the “Grease man.” He will hide inside a cash cart in order to get inside the vault.

8. & 9. Virgil and Turk Malloy (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan) – These brothers are the getaway drivers, and also deliver the cart – where Yen is hidden – to the security doors, pretending to have forgotten their access card. Security takes the cart the rest of the way so they won’t make a scene or alert Benedict that there is a problem.

  1. Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle) – Basher is the munitions expert. His job is to take out the electrical power to the town. After wading through the sewers he finds out what he had planned had already been thwarted by changes being made to the grid. Covered in sewage, he tells his comrades (of course) “We’re in deep s**t!” However, he is able to come up with an alternate plan using a “pinch”—a device which delivers an electronic pulse which will put out the power for about thirty seconds.
  2. Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) – Linus is recruited by Danny in Chicago, where Linus makes a “living” pick-pocketing. His father is a legendary con artist, Bobby Caldwell, a friend of Danny. When part of the crew goes to steal the “pinch,” he is left in the van with the brothers, who are acting like… brothers. Linus is annoyed with their banter, so he leaves the vehicle and is nearly caught. This results in Yen’s hand being slammed in the rear door, further jeopardizing the plan. Linus also poses as a Nevada Gaming Commission officer, exposing “Ramón” as an ex-con. This is a distraction while the heist is going down.

All the pieces of an intricate puzzle are now in place. Everyone must play their part, and, if all goes as planned, the eleven will walk away with equal shares of $160 million. But money is not the prime motivator for Danny. He is willing to be exposed in order to get the girl. There is no other way. But in exposing himself, he also plans to expose Terry Benedict for who he is, and, at the very least, show Tess (Julia Roberts) she needs to leave Terry.

It works. Tess finds out money is more important to Terry than she is. In the end, all Danny gives up is a few bruises from a staged fight and “three to six months” in jail for violating his parole. It could have been worse. The house could have been holding cards which could beat his two pair and an Ace, but Danny played the hand anyway, putting everything on the line. And he won big. Or will Benedict catch up to him? At the end of the movie we see Terry’s thugs tailing Danny, Rusty and Tess… but we have to wait for Ocean’s 12 to find out what happens.

Stephen Solderberg, who directed this picture, is known for films of a more serious nature, including the Julia Roberts movie, Erin Brockovich. I like the way Roger Ebert described the switch in his review.

Serious pianists sometimes pound out a little honky-tonk, just for fun. That’s like what Steven Soderbergh is doing in “Ocean’s Eleven.” This is a standard genre picture, a remake of the 1960 Frank Sinatra caper, and Soderbergh, who usually aims higher, does it as a sort of lark. It’s slick, all right: directors this good don’t usually handle material this routine. It has yearnings above its natural level, as if hoping to redeem itself and metamorphose into a really good movie.

Sometimes bit of “honky-tonk” is what you need. Sometimes we need to leave our seriousness and just have a bit of fun. In that spirit, I will leave off trying to end this review with some quasi-preachy ending. Take from the movie what you will. Just don’t forget to have fun. (Is that too preachy?)

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*The “movie stars” are well known television personalities from the 1990s: Holly Marie Combs (Piper from Charmed), Topher Grace (Eric from That ‘70s Show), Joshua Jackson (Pacey from Dawson’s Creek), Barry Watson (Matt from 7th Heaven), and Shane West (Eli from Once and Again).

†Saul’s “death” is reminiscent of Tony’s death in the 1960 version of Ocean’s 11. In earlier scenes, he is shown to be suffering from stomach ulcers, and almost faints in the hotel just before he leaves to meet Benedict the last time. This makes the “death” scene all the more poignant for the audience, since it has not been let in on the details.

‡Actually, Vegas casinos have been robbed numerous times. For some of the most notorious, see The ten most daring casino heists in history.

Ocean’s 11 (1960): The Rat Pack’s Kick in the Head

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Mandatory Credit: Photo By EVERETT COLLECTION / REX FEATURES
Richard Conte, Joey Bishop, Sammy Davis Jnr, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Akim Tamiroff, Henry Silva and Norman Fell in ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ – 1960
VARIOUS FILM STILLS UK, EIRE, TURKEY, SOUTH AFRICA, HONG KONG, CROATIA ONLY No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only ON SET

Show me a man without a dream.
And I’ll show you a man that’s dead.
Real Dead.
So sings Josh Howard, portrayed by Sammy Davis Jr., in the original 1960 Ocean’s 11, the Rat Pack heist movie which inspired the Ocean’s trilogy from the first decade of this millennium. The song is titled “Eee-O-11,” referring to the craps phrase Yo-11, which gamblers use to place bets. “Yo-11” is used as not to be confused with “7.” The house pays 15-1 odds if a bet is made that the dice will come up 11 on a particular roll. The song is about taking chances and the possible rewards which could follow. So are heist movies.
The other main song in the movie is song by lounge singer Sam Harmon (Dean Martin). “Ain’t that a Kick in the Head” was written shortly before the movie was made and is, I think, about how love can blindside a person. The writer of the song seems to be saying that, while the experience is nice, he’s not sure he’s ready for what comes along with it. The message is subtly snarky.
How lucky can one guy be?
I kissed her and she kissed me
Like the fella once said
“Ain’t that a kick in the head?”
The first verse makes it sound like the “kick in the head” is rather a nice thing. But tell me, who really enjoys being kicked in the head? These lines near the end of the song suggest the writer’s uneasiness with the whole matter:
She’s tellin’ me we’ll be wed
She’s picked out a king-size bed
I couldn’t feel any better or I’d be sick
Sam not only sings about the anxiety love can sometimes cause; he is also anxious about the heist, and tries to talk the group out of it. Sometimes the potential payoff just isn’t worth the risk. They are no longer the young men who fought together as paratroopers in World War II – not as agile and sharp as they used to be. But after Danny and the gang insist they are up to it, Sam gives in. He will not allow his buddies to do this alone. After all, Sam is the one who knows Las Vegas, and it would be foolish to let them do it without him.
A heist of the size they are attempting—five casinos at the same time—requires quite a group. But when you expand the list of main characters in a movie, it becomes hard to follow. Ocean’s 11 does do a good job of centering on a few main instigators, so it is enjoyable to watch for the first time. But the complexity also makes it fun to view over and over, as more and more details become clearer with each viewing. And part of the fun for the original audience in 1960 must have been recognizing the A-list actors in the film. (Shirley MacLaine’s line to Dean Martin, “I don’t fit into your picture, huh?” is classic.) Not to mention all the lesser-known character actors in the film. If you are at all acquainted with mid-twentieth century entertainment, you will be constantly thinking, “Hey, I know that guy from somewhere!”
It might be helpful at this point to list some of the main characters in the film, including those who comprise the “11” (numbered below).
Spyros Acebos (Akim Tamiroff) – Acebos is the one who planned the heist. He is actually not part of the “11.” He apparently has ties to organized crime, but wants unknowns who can infiltrate Vegas. Danny constantly plays pranks on him.
1. Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) – Finds and organizes war buddies for the job.
2. Sam Harmon (Dean Martin) – Danny’s closest friend who has returned from Hawaii. Danny saved his life in the war. When he finds out Danny and his wife Bea are having marital trouble, he tries to get them back together.
3. Josh Howard (Sammy Davis, Jr.) – A Distinguished Service Medal winner in the war and talented baseball pitcher, he is unable to land any other job but being a garbage truck driver.
4. Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) – Danny’s main partner in crime.
5. Anthony “Tony” Bergdorf (Richard Conte) – The ace electrician. In prison at the beginning of the film, he is given amnesty in exchange for his testimony. His wife Gracie has left him because of his crimes.
6. Mushy O’Connors (Joey Bishop) – Former prizefighter.
7. Roger Corneal (Henry Silva) – Helps track down Tony Bergdorf to convince him to take part in the heist.
8. Vincent Massler (Buddy Lester) – His wife, “Honeyface,” is an exotic dancer. He joins the group so she can give up her job.
9. Curly Stephans (Richard Benedict) – Picks up Sam at the airport.
10. Peter Rheimer (Norman Fell) – An inside man at one of the casinos.
11. Louis Jackson (Clem Harvey) – Cowboy from Salt Lake City
All of these guys must be organized, and everything fall exactly into place, for the job to be pulled off. Everything goes off without a hitch. But then the unexpected happens. Tony, after fulfilling his part of rigging the money cages to open, and putting his bag full of cash in the designated area, stumbles and falls in the street, dying of a heart attack. Tony had only agreed to taking the job after he had found out he was dying. He wanted to be able to provide a college education for his son, but now it was too late.
Everything was still in place as it needed to be, but Tony’s death would stir things up. The remaining ten still could have gotten away with the cash easily after things quieted down, if it weren’t for Duke Santos (Cesar Romero), who pieces everything together. Duke is engaged to Jimmy’s mother, and finds out a group of army buddies are in town. He threatens to go to the police if they don’t give him half of the loot. The gang plans a double-cross by placing the money in Tony’s coffin, planning to recover it when the body is shipped out of town.  However, the mortician convinces Gracie to have the body cremated. The ending of the movie is classic, as we see the ten in the sanctuary react as they are told Tony is being cremated. They walk out of the mortuary with dejected looks on their faces as a reprise of “Eee-O-11” is sung with these added words:
Once I had me a dream.
But that dream got kicked in the head.
Dream dead.
They had all made the big gamble and lost. Only the widow and her son gained anything in the end, as someone thought to set aside $10,000 for them. And she wasn’t even looking for it.
Life is a high-stakes game. In this particular movie, those who tried to cheat the system failed. It does not always end this way. Sometimes the wicked prosper. (Psalm 73:3) It is not wrong to dream, but sometimes when we try to fulfill our dreams in even legitimate ways we are kicked in the head. While often those who cheat seem to get ahead with nothing kicking them. But there is a certain satisfaction is doing what we know is right, even if everyone around us seems to be rigging the system. In the end, there is a God who will set things right.