HEy folks, Harry here... Well, from the sound of the review below it seems they've stripped everything that made THE ITALIAN JOB -- THE ITALIAN JOB away, and just turned it into a heist flick. There are spoilers below, and they're real spoilers because having seen the original isn't at all what this film seems to be planning on being. I can't imagine referring to the original as Brainless Fun, and as the last photo on the page shows, it does seem they will be using Mini-Coopers in this one... but apparently in Los Angeles... and you see it is still called THE ITALIAN JOB... hehehe... Well the word is that the movie is fun, but that the most disappointing aspect is that Ed Norton phones it in for the movie. Oh man, I hope Ed doesn't start doing that! BEWARE THE SPOILERS... Here ya go...
Harry,
Mean Mr. Mustered here and I just got back from the first test screening of one of Paramount's big summer films, The Italian Job (also known as the Mark Wahlberg remake of the week).
Here is the set up…
The film starts off in Venice, Italy where a master gang of jewel thieves is pulling "The Italian Job". The gang consists of old time codger and safe-cracker John (Donald Sutherland) who promises that this is his last job, his # 1 and prodigy- Charlie (Wahlberg), John's # 2, the envious Steve (Edward Norton-with a slimy mustache and channeling Sean Penn), a cockney speed junkie (fast cars, not the drug), Handsome Rob (Jason Statham from The Transporter, Snatch, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), yet another weapons expert, Left Ear (rapper Mos Def), and yet another computer hacker/comic relief "Napster" Lyle (Seth Green).
Together, these guys pull off a spectacular opening heist of about 30 million in gold and they are set for life….
…SPOLIER ALERT…
…OK, it's not really a spoiler because it is a remake after all, and what's coming is crystal clear to anyone who has seen his or her share of films…
…until Steve goes phyco, kills John, and then after a scuffle, kills the rest of the gang (or so he thinks) and makes off with the gold. The problem for Steve is that yes, John is without a question dead, but the other four survived the bloodshed.
A year later, Charlie finds out through contacts that Steve is living well in the Hollywood Hills, and is about to sell off the remaining gold (about 27 Million). Out for revenge, he recruits the old gang and adds in a new member to the pose, Stella (Charlize Theron) who was Johns only daughter and works as a freelance safe-cracker with the Philly P.D. The team re-locates to LA, and plans their scheme, which involves hacking into LA's Traffic Control System, the Los Angeles MTA, and three Mini Coopers.
This is a film where you can't think about the plausibility factor. Completely through it out the window with this film. Example? Not a single LAPD officer in sight during the final chase/heist that involves a helicopter, five armed cars, and the three Mini Coopers. ON THE WALK OF FAME ON HOLLYWOOD BLVD! BY THE CHINESE THEATER! BY THE HOLLYWOOD AND HIGHLAND COMPLEX! BY THE KODAK THEATER! AND DOWN INTO THE HOLLWOOD AND HIGHLAND SUBWAY STATION! I live in Hollywood and the LAPD is all over the Hollywood and Highland area 24/7. Yes, I'm being picky but this is another example … Charlize Theron going undercover as a cable repair girl. Not since Tom Cruise and his MI team went undercover as firemen have I laughed so hard. If it hasn't been done already, then someone in the future will make a porn film with the cable girl concept.
OK, it sounds like I'm being negative on the film. It's dumb, shallow, over the top, redundant, implausible, and loud. Obviously, this is not a ten best or four-star film, this is a summer film after all and guess what…on that merit, it really is everything that a summer film should be. Brainless, entertaining, escapism fun.
The Italian Job was directed very slickly by F. Gary Gray (The Negotiator, Friday, Set It Off; and the long delayed Vin Diesel film A Man Apart).
As for the cast, Wahlberg actually does a pretty decent job in the lead and of his "remake films" (The Truth About Charlie, Planet of The Apes), it's the best one.
Theron has the "babe" part, and yes, this is the most fashionable safe-cracker put on film yet (she either brought six suitcases with her from Philly to LA or went on a major shoping binge in LA LA Land). But Theron has fun with her role and she has chemistry with Wahlberg.
Green was OK, but a little of him goes a long way, and he is on screen a little too much.
The weak link is Norton. The part of Steve needed someone really despicable, ugly, and creepy. Someone like Crispin Glover. Norton is miscast, and at times seemed to be phoning in his part. I remember reading in the trades about a year ago that he didn't want to make this film but he was under contract with Paramount for three pictures (he did The Score and Primal Fear for them) and they were ready to sue him for a breach of contract if he bailed, so maybe that explains it.
Statham and Mos Def were the standouts, and you have to give credit to Wahlberg for underplaying his role and letting the two of them have a lot of the great lines and walking away with their scenes.
If The Italian Job turns out to be a major hit this summer, (with the right marketing, It will be) then I have a suggestion for Paramount. Spin off Left Ear and Handsome Rob and put them in a buddy film. Yes it would be a dumb, shallow, over the top, redundant, implausible, and loud buddy film, but it would also be such a hoot and tons of fun.
Mean Mr. Mustered Out
