Danny Ocean (George Clooney), just out of prison, has a score to settle with Las Vegas casino owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) who took his wife, Tess (Julia Roberts) away from him. Ocean plans to rob Benedict's fiendishly well guarded vault, and he assembles a crack team to help him pull of the heist, among them gambler Rusty (Brad Pitt) and con artist Linus (Matt Damon). With financial backing from the mega wealthy Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) the plan is set and the game begins.
The original Ocean's Eleven, made in 1960, was a very enjoyable, but very leisurely and indulgent, vehicle for Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack, and boasted a cast that included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Peter Lawford. The new film, directed by Steven Soderbergh, is tougher and tighter, and it features a formidable cast, in which the veterans – Elliott Gould and Carl Reiner – almost steal the show. But, at bottom, it's just another heist movie, and if you were expecting the Soderbergh-Clooney teaming to result in another thriller as fine as Out Of Sight, you'll be disappointed. Still, there's an awful lot to enjoy in this relaxed, cool entertainment, even if no-one involved is very stretched and there are really not too many surprises.
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