The Italian Job
Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Donald Sutherland, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Seth Green, Jason Statham, Mos Def
Rated: PG-13 for violence and some language
Parental Notes: This is a fun summer action flick, with nothing to distress younger teens. Some children may find the chase sequences too intense.
“You just blew the element of surprise!”
So says villainous Steve (Edward Norton) to the hero of this year’s remake of 1969’s “The Italian Job.” He might as well have been talking to the screenwriters, who have produced a film which can practically be mapped start to finish. We can tell who spunky safe technician Stella (Charlize Theron) is going to end up with, who’s going to keep the millions of dollars in gold stolen in the film’s opening heist, even how the various good guys will spend their money and live happily ever after.
Does this impair the film’s entertainment value?
Not at all. The heists planned and executed during the film are so improbably clever that one can’t help being impressed. The plot is very straightforward: a group of thieves led by Charlie steal $35 million in gold bars. One of their number makes off with the gold, killing one of the team and leaving the rest for dead. A year later, the survivors learn the whereabouts of the traitor and conspire to get the gold back from him.
Clearly, the suspense and entertainment value of the film do not derive from plot twists or surprise developments. What keeps us watching is the brilliance of the plans, and the intelligent decision not to show us the planning sessions in detail (although it’s clear that these heists are meticulously planned) so that most of the steps in the capers come as delightful surprises.
Like a good roller coaster, or any top-notch summer action film, “The Italian Job” is well-paced and thrilling to watch. We may know what’s coming, but we don’t know the exact details; even an anticipated drop or curve can surprise if you don’t know the exact moment it’s going to hit you. The movie’s well-choreographed chase sequences, carefully rationed humor, and light sprinkling of quiet safe-cracking scenes make it easy to get caught up in the excitement.
The chase sequence involving several Mini Coopers and a helicopter has been shown in glimpses in the trailers, but seeing the full thing is a delight. The stripped-down Minis dart around LA like deranged Hot Wheels, swerving and sliding almost weightlessly. It’s a joy to watch such precisely timed work. All the heist sequences are like that, with split second timing pulled off to a T and breathless anticipation of the next cool part keeping the audience’s eyes glued to the scene. This is deliciously improbable, stylish stuff.
A further pleasant surprise is that the characters fit easily into the shorthand of stereotyping without feeling like the cardboard cutouts of so many other summer movies. Charlie (Mark Wahlberg) is a brilliant strategist (he pulls off the titular heist without anyone needing to carry a gun). John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) is a father figure to the crew, pulled out of retirement for “one last job.” Stella Bridger (Charlize Theron), his daughter, is on the straight and narrow, but lets Charlie talk her into helping avenge her father’s death by coming in on the revenge heist. It’s definitely a pleasant surprise to find a woman in with a crew of men who can not only hold her own but give them a run for their money in the skill department.
Computer genius Lyle (Seth Green) is a delight – Green steals every scene he’s in, as much with a running joke about Napster as with his infectiously enthusiastic geekyness. Left Ear and Handsome Rob (Mos Def and “The Transporter” star Jason Statham respectively) are full of humor and attitude as the explosives and driving experts. Statham was made to drive fast cars and both he and Mos Def look like they had the time of their lives making this film. As Steve, Edward Norton is evil without being dull or falling into classic villain stupidities.
None of these are particularly difficult roles, but the actors all appear to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and neither overact nor step through their scenes like they’ve done them a hundred times. Charlie is more lacking in depth than the others, unfortunately, which leads one to wonder if perhaps some of his scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Wahlberg does his best with what he’s given, though, and is enjoyable to watch.
“The Italian Job” is classic summer fare, improbable, stylish, and a lot of fun. Is this a realistic film? Not in the least. Is it an entertaining one? Definitely. And with a teen-friendly PG-13 rating, it’s sure to do well.