Star-power seems to be a thing of the past in the current box office climate. Back in the day, we were surrounded by above the title A-list stars who could guarantee box office revenue on their name alone. It didn’t really matter if the film was subpar if their name was on the marquee, it was guaranteed coin for the studio.
That doesn’t seem to exist much anymore. A lot of industry insiders have said that we don’t have “movie stars” anymore and that name recognition unless you’re Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, doesn’t hold much weight with moviegoers looking for a night of entertainment.
Back in 2001, we were still supporting our movie stars when Ocean’s 11 hit screens and surprised us all. We had not only one above the title star in the film but a slew of some of the biggest performers in one film that redefined fun at the movies. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon & Julia Roberts, to name a few, managed to turn what could’ve been a shallow and self-indulgent experience, into a genuine showcase of cast chemistry and a throwback of sorts to the concept of “getting the gang together.” The experience was so gratifying to moviegoers that they continued to have fun with the gang over two more films.
Now we’re in 2018 and a new take on the Ocean’s franchise is upon us and it reignites that concept of getting a group of high-profile performers together for a bit of high-stakes fun. In a sense, it almost feels like it’s 2001 again because the star power on display is staggering and it’s part of the reason to see the film relies heavily on seeing some of your favorites in this latest caper. The new spin thrown into the fray is that this spinoff of sorts is lead by an all-female ensemble. This is no boys club and the film makes a strong case for itself that the girls can have just as much fun as the boys but beyond the gender swap, Ocean’s Eight arrives during a time of a surge of female empowerment within the entertainment industry. From the #MeToo movement to #TimesUp, the industry, and those who are within it are demanding that the ladies get a seat at the table, and this current climate in Hollywood actually permeates throughout Ocean’s Eight. It’s not preachy and it doesn’t hit you over the head with “anything they can do, we can do better”, but it does make you think, why weren’t the ladies invited to the table much sooner?
Much like the original Ocean’s franchise, Ocean’s Eight is easy, breezy and fun. You’re all in to see pretty people doing sheisty things in beautiful locales. It’s a bit superficial but no less fun. Director Gary Ross, who doesn’t bring much directorial style to the proceedings (more on that later), wisely let his talented female ensemble take the lead and directs their engaging chemistry to allow it to become some infectious that you immediately want in on their heist. Or at least be able to down a few martinis with them.
Ocean’s Eight opens with Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) leaving prison and immediately starting work on a scheme she has been refining for the last five-plus years (this is the sister of George Clooney’s Danny Ocean after all so we know she has something special up her sleeve). After about thirty minutes of introductory material the team (of seven) is in place: Debbie’s best friend and former partner, Lou (Cate Blanchett); fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham-Carter); diamond expert Amita (Mindy Kaling); computer hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna); street hustler and pick-pocket Constance (Awkwafina); and fence-turned-housewife Tammy (Sarah Paulson). The “eighth” member of the title is the mark, uber-famous actress Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), who will be wearing a $150 million necklace to a black-tie Met gala dinner. The goal is to literally steal it off her neck – never mind all the security cameras, the bodyguards, and the magnetic clasp that makes it impossible to remove while Daphne’s head is attached to her body.
Any good heist film has a fun heist and Ocean’s Eight does, albeit a rather easy one. There is never any sense that the girls won’t pull this off and while I viewed it as a detriment at first, the same feeling was on display in Ocean’s 11 as well. Sure, their potential failure would add tension, but maybe that’s no the point here. The joy is watching it all come together and Ocean’s Eight does let the audience join in on the fun of the caper. I’ve seen the film twice now and each audience I saw it with after the credits began to roll, all began murmuring how they wish they could’ve been a part of this crew. That’s the power of any heist film, it makes you wish you had some role in the con job, and Ocean’s Eight accomplishes just that.
Despite the power of the gender swap being on display, it doesn’t take away from the film’s narrative. It doesn’t matter that we swapped out 11 guys for 8 girls, the ebbs and flows are still the same and it doesn’t slap you over the head with a girl power message. The whole point of switching up the roles is that anyone could do this and film showcases that. Having eight ladies on display is never distracting and you don’t long for any of the original 11 guys to bail them out (although we do get a couple of cameos from the original crew to tie the universe together).
The ace up this film’s sleeve is its undeniable cast chemistry. You can tell that all of these women had a blast working together and everything about their interactions feels natural. Sandra Bullock takes the lead and proves to be a fierce leader. She has to play it cool for the most part but she’s a commanding screen presence and exudes a similar charm that would make her cinematic brother proud. Taking on the Brad Pitt role of sorts is Cate Blanchett, who also displays a fierceness that proves she’s one of the best actresses working today. This isn’t a hard or challenging role for her but it does show her diversity as a performer. I used to say Blanchett could play just about anyone and this is more proof of that. The “eighth” member of the crew, Anne Hathaway, steals just about all her scenes playing a vapid actress that hilariously lampoons everything we believe about someone in her position. Hathaway has a firm grasp of the joke and it allows her to probably have the most fun of the entire cast. This was definitely a good move for her since the industry seems to think she takes herself too seriously. This proves she does not.
The rest of the eight fill out their supporting roles nicely although you do wish they had more to bite into. Sarah Paulson, who normally don’t get to really play anyone fun as Ryan Murphy’s current muse on his various FX shows, seems to be having a blast here as well and it’s definitely a treat to see. I wish we could’ve played a bit more with the suburban wife angle of her character but she does get some moments to shine. Rihanna and Awkwafina are on display to add a more youthful showcase to the proceedings and they fill in those roles nicely. What they lack in polish, that makes up for with a natural charisma that translates on screen. Helena Bonham Carter, who I thought would be the oddball of the cast, manages to make her on-screen weirdness work in a role that relies heavily on her reactions to various situations and it definitely elicits some laughs. I do wish that Mindy Kaling had more to do because out of the eight, she fills a bit shortchanged but during both of my screenings of the film she had a moment that got the most laughs from the audience so, even with little to do, she also makes an impression.
There is some testosterone on display, so to speak. James Corden comes in late in the proceedings as a Columbo-inspired investigator and, maybe because I’m a genuine fan of Corden’s, I thought he did a solid job. Richard Armitage hits all the right notes as Debbie’s slimy ex but honestly, the men play a similar role in this film as they did in the original Ocean’s franchise. They come second to the leads which, in this case, happens to be all-female. The only difference is that Armitage doesn’t have the star power of a Julia Roberts.
If I have one criticism it’s that director Gary Ross doesn’t really bring enough stylized pizzaz to the film. Steven Soderbergh infused his Ocean’s film with a lot of flairs but Ross doesn’t exactly have the same touch. He does a serviceable job but no more. He does allow the ladies to take the lead and he directs their interactions well but I wish he did so with a bit more style.
As a summer film, Ocean’s Eight delivers on what it promises. It’s a fun experience that swoops us up in all of its charm and its joy of the heist. It’s all a bit superficial but there’s nothing wrong with indulging in that a bit. From its sweeping celebrity cameos at the Met Gala (and there are many) to the undeniable star power and charm of its cast, Ocean’s Eight takes you back to a time when movie stars ruled the world and now it’s a group of superbly talented ladies that have made this concept feel fresh and relevant once again.
