Ocean's Thirteen-- the Third Time's the Charm

Finally a sequel that beats its predecessors and is not overloaded or over-bearing or overly long. Ocean's 13, clocking in at 1 hour and 53 minutes and with a PG 13 rating proves that often less is more. We have a coherent, if occasionally complex script. We have good acting, and actors actually having fun doing it. And this movie does not rely on mindless action, but rather on intelligence. Imagine that.

Presenting us with the thieve's take on a Mission Impossible sort of script, Kentucky George (aka Clooney), Missouri Brad (aka Pitt) and Boston Matt (aka Damon) and the usual cast of secondary suspects once more dazzle us with science and misdirection, and cons and all in the service of a good cause-- Putting the sting on ultra bad guy Al Pacino, for the sake of a friend (Elliot Gould) whom Pacino (playing Willie Bank) snookered and sent into a coma.

This movie is filmed in grainy yellows and sepia tones and blues, and it has the usual repartee we have expected from the main characters, with Clooney and Pitt especially good at finishing each other's sentences. MIA is Julie Roberts, and indeed any female characters except for Bank's second in command, played by Ellen Barkin as the femme fatale business manager. One of the many surprise turns is how Danny Ocean manages to lure Andy Garcia (last episode's 'mark') into helping them bring down Bank. One of the more interesting features of all three of these movies is watching Damon play against the grain-- once more he is the nerdy Linus, who usually has a hard time holding up his end of the bargain and con, but in this sequel he does a much better job of it. I could have wished for more Don Cheadle time in this movie, but all in all, I cannot complain to much. It's always a good thing when a movie leaves you wanting more, rather than less.

This movie is slick, entertaining, has music that helps carry along the plot, and has a storyline that keeps you guessing, or at least intrigued and entertained. It is the perfect summer flick to take friends or family to and unlike the previous three sequel movies we have already had this summer, this one doesn't sink under its own weight or length. Hooray. May there be an Ocean's 14 that is as good.