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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Joined: 21 Aug 2003
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 Posted: 11/20/03 - 16:31 Post subject: Movie Review: The Italian Job (2003)
A film by F. Gary Gray
I didn’t think much of this movie from watching the trailer. It looked a little cheap and cheesy and I didn’t expect it to be remotely worth watching. Then it started to make money and I started hearing positive word of mouth reports about the movie. It became one of those “sleeper” hits that nobody expected, least of all me. After all of the positive word on this movie, I gave it a shot. Happily, I can report that the movie is actually quite good.
The movie opens in the midst of a heist. Charlie (Mark Whalberg) is the leader of the group pulling off this heist. It is audacious (stealing quite a bit of gold bricks) and it is creative in how it is pulled off. It ends with a nice chase sequence and naturally they get away with it. I’m not giving anything away. Just when they’ve gotten away with it, one of the members of the group pulls a double cross. Steve (Edward Norton) had his own plan in place to take the gold for himself, and he kills one member and gets away with it. Again, I’m not spoiling the movie, I’m setting it up. This is all exposition.
The main story comes some time after this. Charlie finds out where Steve is living (in extravagant wealth), and he pulls together the old crew to rob Steve of the gold that Steve stole from the crew. They add Stella (Charlize Theron) to the crew (for reasons that I’m not quite prepared to spoil) and plan the new heist. There is some suspense and interesting gadgets, until it is time for the heist. This is when things really pick up and we get to the point of the whole movie: the chase.
The simple fact is that is movie is a lot of fun. It is very fast paced, and is like a quick reading novel. It moves fast, keeps you interested, and gives a satisfying conclusion. The acting is fine for what it is, and this is a stylish movie. This movie will never win any major awards, but it doesn’t have to. It’s better than most typical summer movies, and I would definitely recommend it.
The Italian Job co-stars Seth Green, Donald Sutherland, and Jason Statham.
I give this 4 out of 5 pugs
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airehead
Oompa Loofah
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Location: Between here and eternity...
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Posted: 11/20/03 - 16:50 Post subject:
I agree, it was a fun movie.
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copteacher
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Joined: 08 Jun 2002
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Location: Teaching in the Halls of Justice
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Posted: 11/21/03 - 08:55 Post subject:
I have seen it twice and will buy the DVD I normally do not like movies focused on bad guys but the cast in this was excellent and no one got hurt.
Charlize =hubba hubba
plus it was partly filmed in Philly
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akern
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Joined: 31 May 2002
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Posted: 11/23/03 - 14:03 Post subject:
I just watched this last night. Not too bad. Edward Norton is a great actor tho.
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airehead
Oompa Loofah
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Posted: 11/23/03 - 15:15 Post subject:
| akern wrote: | | I just watched this last night. Not too bad. Edward Norton is a great actor tho. |
He was good--I ended up with a deep dislike for him because he acted his part so well. I was also impressed with Mark Wahlberg, too.
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Joined: 21 Aug 2003
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Posted: 11/23/03 - 16:08 Post subject:
| airehead wrote: | | akern wrote: | | I just watched this last night. Not too bad. Edward Norton is a great actor tho. |
He was good--I ended up with a deep dislike for him because he acted his part so well. I was also impressed with Mark Wahlberg, too. |
Watch Primal Fear and see how much you like Norton. He inhabits his characters (much like Russell Crowe does) so much that you see the character rather than the man.
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akern
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Posted: 11/24/03 - 08:36 Post subject:
| Pug wrote: | | airehead wrote: | | akern wrote: | | I just watched this last night. Not too bad. Edward Norton is a great actor tho. |
He was good--I ended up with a deep dislike for him because he acted his part so well. I was also impressed with Mark Wahlberg, too. |
Watch Primal Fear and see how much you like Norton. He inhabits his characters (much like Russell Crowe does) so much that you see the character rather than the man. |
That was the first movie I remember seeing him in. Excellent.
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Posted: 11/24/03 - 14:26 Post subject: 1969
I've been hearing good things about this flick too, so the other night when the SO is headed to the video store I mention she should pick it up.
She comes home with the 1969 version with Michael Caine and I'm scratching my head wondering how this could happen. Well, we had it so we watched it. You can just feel the Austin Powers oozing out of it and it does take place in Italy.
A pretty decent period film, I mean the computers in this film are running on reel to reel. But the Coopers are there, they've always been there. Somehow I can imagine that the 2003 version has some nifty updates, I guess I'll have to make that video run.....
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shelee
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Joined: 23 Oct 2002
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Location: IN
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 08:47 Post subject:
| rtpd113 wrote: | I have seen it twice and will buy the DVD I normally do not like movies focused on bad guys but the cast in this was excellent and no one got hurt.
Mark Whalburg =hubba hubba
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I loved this movie too.
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elkid
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Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 8353
Location: hiding out in Philly
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Posted: 11/25/03 - 10:34 Post subject:
This movie rocked the house! Perfect casting and to see Seth Green do the conversation between Cable Girl and Handsome Rob was priceless!
Further proof that Ed Norton CANNOT be in a bad movie. Evah.
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