Steven Soderbergh is back from retirement after a lengthy hiatus. Of four years. The 'Oceans Eleven' director eases himself back in with something easy: a heist film which ticks off all the expected cliches of an amiable group of people pulling off a crime for justified reasons, separation from their families, a child in some need of help, the odd twist and a determined law official hounding the anti heroes.
Sadly said law official is merely an extended cameo by Hilary Swank, while Katherine Waterston suffers a similar fate. However, the rest of the cast work well (most of them putting on southern accents), especially a boisterous turn from the 5ft 10 sack of potatoes called Daniel Craig as explosive expert Joe Bang, proving he has more range than he is usually given credit for.
Channing Tatum and Adam Driver are the blissfully daft Logan brothers attempting to rob NASCAR in a plot which although believability stretching at times, feels breezy and simply fun. Soderbergh never tries to break any new ground like a shovel digging under a red swing. The plan itself lines up neatly with other cinematic robberies, but it's always engaging. The prison-based scenes with its 'Game of Thrones' satire is probably the humorous stand-out, but the light-hearted approach is still enough to put something resembling a smile on your face for the rest of the run time.
FOUR STARS. Soderbergh loves a stereotypical English accent, doesn't he? If only he'd hire someone who has heard an actual one before.
No comments:
Post a Comment