The Italian Job (2003)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

How sad is this?

Great Film overall

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The movie is the ultimate Heist movie with everything from the amazing Heist to start the movie off then the heart-wrenching sadness betrayal Redemption this movie definitely has it all with the most stacked cast ever in a movie with Donald Sutherland Mark Wahlberg Edward Norton Charlize Theron Mos Def Jason Statham and Seth Green

I'm not going to lie, this is a great movie. It has a clever plot, good action and is very well directed. But I'm going to knock off a few stars for the obvious; that being that it is basically a two hour commercial for mini coopers. And Pepsi Blue. And I'm sure a ton of other stuff I wasn't paying attention to while watching this last night. The marketing boys at Mini Coop must have gave the director a set amount of minutes that the car was required to be in the movie for. It is frankly annoying and takes you out of some of the movie. There is a scene where the stupid mini coopers jump out of a tunnel and crash face first into the ground but a minute later you see absolutely no damage on them. Ironically enough, I will never, ever ever buy a mini coop just because of this film. But ignoring the mini coops and other BS, this is a great movie.

The latest version (there being only two.....so far) of The Italian Job has no merit to its name. Director F. Gary Gray and screenwriters Troy Kennedy-Martin and Donna Powers have taken the best out of Michael Caine's original (three Mini's in a car chase, one thought-out heist) and glamourised it (Hollywood A-listers, pristine, clean shots) but with out the charge and the adrenaline we assume that's there. Wahlberg is a flat front-man. Edward Norton makes for a surprising bad guy, annoying and outsmarting Croker (Wahlberg) and his team left, right and centre. The other cast members struggle due to a lackluster script and and its inability to succeed our expectations. You'll be least disappointed in this film if you get the chance to watch this before the 1969 classic.

I've never seen the original 1968 caper film starring Michael Caine so I can't compare at all but this was a pretty good time. Mark Whalberg takes the lead here as a master thief out to retake the gold stolen from his gang after they pilfered it from a palazzo in Venice.The entire cast is of course fantastic and works well together, playing off each other and I enjoyed the non-romance between Wahlberg and (a very beautiful) Charlize Theron.The opening heist that takes place in Venice, including speed boat chases through the canals, safes falling through multiple floors of buildings and underwater shenanigans is thrilling and super well done as is the ensuing double cross (poor Donald Sutherland) and escape.I also liked the (I guess iconic) Mini Cooper chase scene towards the end, on train tracks, down stairs etc. Very cool.Ultimately this was an okay movie for me, not fantastic as it dragged a bit in the middle but one of those classic (remakes) that you just have to see. 12/26/14