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         Not content with mere mediocrity, Gray has attempted to perpetuate the Hollywood mythology of the "Good Bad Guy" - a favorite Tinsel Town theme since its popularization in the original Ocean's Eleven.   In THE ITALIAN JOB, Director Gray exceeds himself.  Not only do we have Good Bad Guys and Bad Bad Guys, but we even have the kindly, loveable master-thief, John Bridger espousing the philosophy of such : "There are two kinds of crooks in this world, the first kind allow their profession to define them..." ad nauseam.  But how do we tell Good Bad Guys from Bad Bad Guys?  Good Bad Guys are 'sensitive '90's guys', frequently asking each other, "Are you all right?" and other such "feel-your-pain" prattle.  You already knew that Bad Bad Guys are sarcastic and heartless, with thin Tijuana Taxicab Driver moustaches.  The blatant stereotyping got so bad it had me staring disbelievingly into my half-eaten bucket of popcorn.
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        But let's just imagine for a moment that we are able to suspend disbelief and somehow transcend all the aforementioned moralistic and cinematic claptrap -- is there ANY reason whatsoever to see this film?   I'll cut to the chase: the only reason this film was reviewed at all is that in amongst all the chaff, two kernels of wheat shone, comparatively, like diamonds.  Both Donald Sutherland and Ed Norton staved off instant oblivion for THE ITALIAN JOB.  Both these real actors, of course, were given second billing - somewhere down the credit-scroll with the gaffers, caterers and accountants... I can say no more without bursting into tears.
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