Out of Sight

1998's "Out of Sight" by Steven Soderbergh.

Starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Dennis Farina, Steve Zahn, Don Cheadle, Aalbert Brooks, and Michael Keaton.

“OoS” features Clooney, as a pacifist lifelong criminal who makes his living robbing banks (with longtime partner, Ving Rhames), before running into a U.S. Marshall (Lopez). Clooney and Lopez become smitten, despite being on opposite sides of the law (and contrary to advice from family/colleagues). Their attraction to both each other, and their respective careers, comes to a lovely and jagged ending, as the wonderful ensemble cast play their parts out.

"OoS" was another of the Elmore Leonard penned movie adaptations that were so popular in the mid 90's ("Get Shorty", "Jackie Brown", and "Touch"), and Soderbergh doesn't disappoint with the adaptation, developing his signature experiments with time that he would later master with his, "The Limey" and others. He also creates something both old fashioned and modern, with the score by David Holmes playing on in a fusion of urban and historical influences like Miles Davis, Dean Martin, and Quincy Jones.There's no better way to accompany Clooney's Cary Grant-like vibes jutting out of his jumpsuit.

After coming to fame via Cannes' and Sundance best picture wins for "Sex, Lies, and Audiotape", as well as a number of other art house films, Soderbergh was interested in the opportunity to direct big budget stars in a more Hollywood movie, or as he described it, "climbing out of art house hell". His interesting auteur approach remains intact, as the story smoothly jumps back and forth in time, until the ending recedes faster than Albert Brook's hair. Perhaps as a warm up to the "Ocean's 11" series, OoS features one of the better casts around, with Micheal Keaton's character from "Jackie Brown" bizarrely making an appearance here- 1 of the more meta crossovers in recent memory. It's difficult to think of a performance (or scene) here that doesn't work (including a clumsy gallute having one of the funniest final acts in film history) , and "OoS" is a treat for romance fans, crime movie fans, and especially movie fans. For all the J-Lo haters out there, this is a movie worth waiting for tonight.

5/5
 

Trailer: Click Here.