I hate it when I leave the theatre loving the bad guys.

Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is a two-time loser. He lost his freedom to prison and he lost his wife to a casino magnet. You gotta love him.

This time, Danny plans to make up for all of life’s losses by "winning" big, $160 million, to be stolen from the mother vault of the three casinos owned by his ex-wife’s new lover.

All Danny needs is a team—and what a team he assembles. Forget the stage names. Look at this partial line-up—Matt Damon, Carl Reiner, Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, and of course, the one and only Julia Roberts, as the former Mrs. Ocean.

Ocean has left nothing to chance. All the guys are experts in the game of theft.

What’s more, they’re very cool about it. Let’s face it, if Danny says it will work, how can it fail? And what a payoff, not to mention Danny’s chance to rub the casino owner’s face in an emptied vault. This is too cool!

Why do I love these guys? They’re criminals—all eleven! Shame on me. And shame on you, too, when you start loving these scoundrels…but trust me, you will.

They’re not dumb.

Brad Pitt’s character figures it out early. Ocean is more interested in winning back his long-lost bride than he is in the money. He’d probably sell out to get her back. Also, he seems to want to hurt Mr. Casino Man more than he wants the money. The millions are but icing on the cake and a few hundred years on a foreign beach somewhere if they pull it off.

So why go along with the cool Mr. Ocean?

Because, he’s so smooth he could charm the snake charmer into the basket. He is a super con man, one of those who could convince anybody that "it can be done because I say it can be done."

Can it? You’ll see if you sign on with Ocean’s eleven.

Clooney and Pitt were made for each other—on stage, that is. Their chemistry is real and they are so cool together you get chilly in the theatre.

Matt Damon plays a young skeptic who just can’t resist the thrill of chasing down 160 million big ones. Will he buckle under the pressure? You won’t hear it from me.

Carl Reiner is as much fun as he’s ever been—the old timer with the renewed urge to hit it big one more time. It beats sitting around and getting fatter at the racetrack.

Clooney himself has hit it big this time and it is well deserved.

All the actors are just having fun with this not so authentic re-make of the old "Rat Pack" caper. Two different movies, two great results. All they want to do is share the fun.

As always, the big question is "Does crime really pay?" You’ll have to watch the ending and decide for yourself.

Join "Ocean’s 11" and love these losers if you must. You can always go to confession.
 
 
 
 

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