The Italian Job - 2003

Paramount Pictures, De Line Productions

Directed by F. Gary Gray

Cast:

• Charlie Croker – Mark Wahlberg
• Stella Bridger – Charlize Theron
• John Bridger – Donald Sutherland
• Handsome Rob – Jason Statham
• Lyle – Seth Green
• Left Ear – Mos Def
• Steve – Edward Norton

Story: A crew of hi-tech thieves executes a very slick robbery of a safe filled with gold from a townhouse in Venice. They travel out of the city and gather in a circle drinking bottles of Dom Perignon, talking about the things they will do from now on. Suddenly a crew of men with guns rushes in and steals the gold, and one of the crew shoots the safe cracker, and is about to shoot the others then they escape by driving the van off a bridge into the deep water of reservoir. A year passes, and the daughter of the murdered man gets a call from the leader of the heist. They've found the man who betrayed them. Since she is a professional locksmith and security expert, a legal version of her father, she tells Charlie no at first, but soon calls him back and says she is in. The crew plot to recover their gold and to teach the betrayer a lesson he won't soon forget.

Review: Sometimes remakes are a good thing, sometimes they're not. This one is very loosely based on the film of the same name in the 1960's starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward with Benny Hill as the comedy relief. That film was a so-so farce, but this one is a runaway hit. The action starts at the beginning and keeps the pace throughout the film. Mos Def and Seth Green are our comics in this film, but their abilities to shift from comic to dramatic are well played. Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron are well suited to their roles and come off with a very reserved but appropriate sexual tension to add interest to the already interesting hi-tech portions of the film. Sutherland's role, while brief, is the perfect set up for the remainder of the film. Statham does what he does best, and his character is a mix between The Transporter and The Mechanic, with a splash of smooth to balance it out. As always, whether good guy or bad guy, Ed Norton's presence is perfect to create the correct tension in the movie. Good plot, great scenery, and exceptional photography make this a film the entire family can enjoy together, despite the PG-13 rating. Collectible if you like action adventure, although you will probably pull it out as an afterthought.