The Italian Job (2003)

'3BlackChicks Review...'

THE ITALIAN JOB (2003) Rated PG-13; running time 104 minutes Studio: Paramount Pictures Genre: Action/Crime Seen at: Eastwood Neighborhood Cinema Group (Lansing, Michigan) Official site: http://www.italianjobmovie.com/ IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0317740 Written by: Donna Powers, Wayne Powers (based on the 1969 movie) Directed by: F. Gary Gray Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Seth Green, Jason Statham, Mos Def, Donald Sutherland, Franky G

Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2003 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/2003reviews/bamsitalian.html

Maybe it's Just Me - maybe my standards and expectations have been irrevocably lowered - but I liked this flick almost as much for what it was not, than for what it was. And chief amongst its welcome "was not" qualities? It was decidedly not a flimsy excuse to throw in the old obligatory Warm Place To Put It.

Thank Morgan.  

THE STORY (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**) Like the old cliche goes, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), an old thief who feels guilty about the amount of time the consequences of his thievery has kept him away from his daughter Stella (Charlize Theron), decides to do Just One More Job before throwing in the towel. Unfortunately for them, it's One More Job too many when the conniving Steve (Edward Norton) double-crosses John and his merry band of thieves, led by Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg). With his mind on revenge (and his money on his mind), Charlie plans on hitting Steve with the big payback.

Charlie's plan? He and his crew - which includes computer whiz Lyle, er, Napster (Seth Green), explosives expert Left Ear (Mos Def), driver par excellence Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), and master mechanic Wrench (Franky G) - aim to re-steal from Steve the gold that Steve stole from them. To do so, they'll have to do nearly the impossible: control the gridlock that is L.A. traffic, get past Steve's top-notch security, and bust open Steve's safe. But to do that, Charlie will need to call upon the reluctant help of Stella, a pro safe cracker in her own right.

THE UPSHOT With Mark "Marky Mark" Walberg as the cast headliner, one might think THE ITALIAN JOB was doomed from jump. In the few movies I've seen him in, his emotive capabilities usually span the range from A to B. Likewise, I seem to have fallen out of love with Charlize Theron's eyes; probably because my having accidentally caught her interview with David Letterman, left me grumbling about how airheaded she seemed to be. But in this remake of the 1969 comedy caper starring Michael Caine, Walberg and Theron redeem themselves adequately. Ditzy interview or not, Theron was refreshingly light on her feet as Stella, with precious little girly giggling, and a genuine touch of grieving-daughter sincerity. And to his credit, it seemed as if Walberg knowingly stepped back and let his co-stars, the scenery, and the action, take center stage. This, I say to you, was most def A Good Thing.

And speaking of Mos Def...in JOB, most of the fun revolves around the supporting cast and the subtle humor they bring to the plate. Having rapper/poet Mos Def (who I love more with every acting role he takes) playing a character that's mostly deaf, THE TRANSPORTER star Jason Statham play a, well, supreme transporter, and Napster founder Shawn Fanning play himself in a subplot about Napster, were some of the little strokes of cleverness that made this movie fun. [It would've, and could've, been more fun if - once again - those numbnuts who make movie trailers had left some key scenes out; but one mustn't fault the filmmakers for the shortcomings of the doofus marketeers, I reckon].

Director F. Gary Gray's love affair with Mini Cooper cars only heightened that sense of enjoyment, though it took me a minute to understand why they were being used the way they were being used. Never pausing the action long enough for the audience to wonder "hmm...waiddaminnite...", Gray almost got away scott-free with this none-too-brainy popcorn flick. If not for cues like having one character utter a made-for-the-censors obscenity, and the notable absence (as in, it just don't work like that, Boo) of anything more violent than a few sucker punches, Gray might have pulled off the heist of the century...or at least the summer of 2003.

Edward Norton was the real question mark here. And the answer is, "no". Norton is capable of much, much better acting than he does in JOB. If the phrase "phoning it in" has become cliche, then someone should invent a new one to fit the sleepwalking he does in this film. As was said of his character Steve, Norton showed no imagination in this throwaway role. Had he brought it up a notch or two, JOB could've been that much better.

But that's ok, because the blase feeling he engenders just makes it easy to wish Bad Stuff upon his character. Anyone remotely familiar with how most caper flicks end, shouldn't be too surprised to find that karma is still a mutha. It should've been a big, huge, 400lb mutha, but there I go, grumping about casting choices again.

BAMMER'S BOTTOM LINE In this transparently rated-for-the-masses movie, everything old is new again; but at least it's a damn sight more interesting than some of the flicks that have been hoisted upon us lately. Molto buono!

    THE ITALIAN JOB rating:  greenlight

Rose "Bams" Cooper                    
Webchick and Editor,                    
3BlackChicks Review                     
Entertainment Reviews With Flava!                
Copyright Rose Cooper, 2003             
EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com                
http://www.3blackchicks.com/

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