OCEAN’S 8 continues the OCEAN’S 11 film franchise with a clever twist, all woman team to carry out a new heist. But it isn’t just the cast that has changed, this is a whole new game, in this surprisingly fun and entertaining fourth film in the series. It is just light entertainment but it is fun.
The 2001 George Clooney OCEAN’S 11 was, of course, a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack classic caper film of the same name. The origin had a collection of old army buddies led by Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) carrying out a complicated Las Vegas casino robbery, partly as a lark and partly for the dough. The original was as much about the snappy patter between the cast as the heist and had a good dose of humor. The George Clooney re-boot captured some of the glamour and fun but maybe with a tad more focus on the heist.
This fourth sequel reboots the whole thing, using the all-female cast as a springboard. There are references to the cast of the previous Ocean’s films but for the most part this is a new cast and a new concept. While all the previous versions are set in Las Vegas, a guy’s glittering fantasy playground of casinos, showgirls, highballs and fast cars, OCEAN’S 8 re-sets the caper in an equally iconic woman’s glittering fantasy playground – a New York City world of shopping at Bergdorf Goodman, Cartier jewels, high-fashion, celebrities and fine art. This new heist aims at jewels – during the most dazzling party of the year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Met Gala, a star-studded, diamond-drenched, couture-clothed multi-million dollar event that opens the museum’s Costume Institute’s new exhibit featuring the crown jewels of several royal houses.
Gary Ross directs and co-wrote the script. Ross’ OCEAN’S 8 keeps the idea of a cast of quirky characters, who each have a special skill, involved in an elaborate heist. Sandra Bullock plays Danny Ocean’s newly-paroled sister, Debbie Ocean, who just seems to have larceny in her blood. She re-connects with old pal Lou (Cate Blanchett) and sells her on a new plan to steal fabulous jewels at the biggest celebrity party of the year.
The rest of the team consists of fence and con expert Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a jewelry expert Amita (Mindy Kaling), hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna), and pickpocket Constance (Awkwafina). The plan is to steal a famous Cartier necklace, a scheme that requires them to bring in a fashion designer Rose Weil (a delightful Helena Bonham Carter, taking a break from her dark persona to play a more ditzy one) and a movie star attending the gala, Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway, also delightful in her role). The fashion designer is in on the plan but movie star is not, which makes things a little tricky.
The film is a delight of cleverness, glitter and glamour. The cast is dominated by women, with men only playing minor roles, a nice switch on the usual (and making this a film that more than meets the Bechdel test (two or more women characters, who talk to each other, about something other than a man) for those who keep track of that. The male cast members include Richard Armitage as Debbie Ocean’s artist ex-boyfriend Claude and James Corden as an insurance inspector.
Besides the lead roles, the film is peppered with delightful cameos, such as legendary fashion editor Anna Wintour. There are also appearances by a host of older legendary actresses in a sequence late in the film.
All this great casting and sparkling setting would be wasted if the film did not entertain, but it does. With a touch of inspiration from caper films of the 1960s that featured women in the lead as well as the OCEAN’S 11 franchise, OCEAN’S 8 delights with its complicated plan, ensemble of quirky characters, the nail-biting execution and all the twists and turns in the plot these bold women carry out with style and bravura.
OCEAN’S 8 is an unexpectedly fun sequel, just light entertainment but a film both men and women can enjoy, although maybe a bit more fun for women, The plot is a bit more caper and a tad less comedy than previous Ocean’s films,but still tons of fun. It is just good escapist entertainment, with a nice women-forward focus and an outstanding ensemble cast, that sets up for a refreshed series of Ocean’s films.
RATING: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
