Ocean’s 8 (Review)
Ocean’s 8 gives Eleven a Run for Its Money.
Ocean’s 8 had a lot to live up to after what a tremendous success Steven Soderbergh‘s Ocean’s Eleven was. The all-male original was filled with more charm and style than you could shake a stick at. Luckily, Ocean’s 8 features such an incredible cast that it has no problem not only living up to any expectations there might have been but also distinguishes itself as a fun and fascinating heist movie.
After the lackluster success of the Ghostbusters’ reboot and the recent Overboard film, I wasn’t completely sold on the idea of gender-bending successful films. The concept is intriguing in principle, but it feels lazy. Ocean’s 8 though isn’t a reboot or a remake, it’s a spinoff from Ocean’s Eleven featuring Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie, played by Sandra Bullock. As charming as the old silver fox George Clooney is, Bullock embraces her role as his younger sister and proves to be a more than worthy addition to the Ocean family. She encompasses the sophisticated and playful confidence that Clooney displayed, but creates a character that doesn’t rely on her family ties to win over audiences.
The rest of the cast is filled with unbelievable talent. Featuring the likes of Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sarah Paulson, they create such genuine chemistry that it’s hard not to fall in love with all of Debbie Ocean’s crew. Like the original Ocean’s Eleven, Debbie’s heist requires a group made up of people from all walks of life with a variety of criminal skills that will come together to pull off an impossible heist. It’s hard not to notice that there aren’t any men on the crew, but as Debbie puts it so elegantly, “Women go unnoticed.” Thus her crew relies on the fact that they will all be constantly underestimated due to their gender, but prove that anything boys can do, girls can do too.
Ocean’s 8 relies a lot on the chemistry I mentioned earlier, and it’s a brilliant decision by Gary Ross. All the actresses in the film do what they do best, especially Mindy Kaling and Awkwafina who are delightful as the comic relief of the crew. Of course, all the women in the film are delightfully charming and play their parts perfectly, it’s a dream cast and like Ocean’s Eleven it wouldn’t have been possible without such a talented crew coming together. It’s just hard not to gush about the performances given and I wouldn’t be surprised if audiences got a chance to see these ladies come together for another film. After all, you have a nine and ten left to film in the Ocean’s franchise.
It might seem tacky to talk at length about the costuming of such a film, given that so often Hollywood is more obsessed with who a woman is wearing than who they actually are. However, given that the heist of the film takes place during the annual Met Gala, an event known for its gorgeous and adventurous fashion displays, it would be a crime not to say that the dresses the women wear are breathtaking. Not only that, but the fashion choices throughout the film really add to the story overall, just by looking at these characters you can immediately tell what kind of person they are. Like Ocean’s Eleven, the story is filled with rich and colorful characters, and their costuming goes a long way to adding legitimacy to their portrayals.
Ocean’s 8 definitely takes a few notes from the original, most notably in the editing. Unfortunately, this is the one place where it falters. The film is filled with quick cuts and brief scenes which make it feel rushed. Worst of all, it tries to embrace the unique transitions that Eleven used from scene to scene. Something that felt very appropriate for Las Vegas, but makes little sense in the Big Apple. It feels like it’s trying too hard to grab onto the spirit of Eleven, something that is completely unnecessary given the quality of the story and performances at the core of this film.
I’ve compared Ocean’s 8 to Ocean’s Eleven quite a bit in this review because there’s no getting around the fact that there was a lot for it to live up to. I’m glad to say that this movie stands on its own two feet far from the shadow of its predecessors. While it might not be quite as good as the Eleven, there is no question that it is much, much better than the sequels. I found Ocean’s 8 to be a delightfully charming night out at the movies. It’s filled with plenty of twists that you’ll never see coming and is a sly and charming heist film with an all-star cast. I hoped that it would be a good movie and I’m happy to say it was exactly that. While it’s not perfect, I think it’s well worth the price of admission and a film that will leave you satisfied and smiling.
