By: Noemi Elliott
“Go home, get your affairs in order, because tomorrow we begin pulling off one of the biggest jewelry heists in history.”
Full of dazzling diamonds and an incredible cast, Ocean’s 8 is the 2018 spin-off of the famous original series with George Clooney. Starring Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett among many others, the screen was filled from start to finish with familiar faces. Even Rihanna, one of the most famous 21st century artists, nabs a starring role. After watching the movie three times, though I am in no way a smarter individual than before, I laugh at Anne Hathaway’s overdramatic Daphne Kluger and Rose Weil’s (Helena Boham-Carter) ridiculous designs.
Overall, the script of the film was terrible in that it lacked material of real substance, yet it made for a very amusing two hours. In particular, my favorite moment was when one of the characters asked Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) how long it took her to plan out the heist, and, responding with a blank expression, Debbie said “5 years, 8 months, and 12 days.” To any viewer, like myself, watching, the length of time mentioned in conjunction with Debbie’s expression was very funny, for lack of a better term. Another highlight occurred right before the Gala, when Debbie looked into a mirror and assured the group that “somewhere out there is an eight-year-old girl lying in bed, dreaming of being a criminal. Let’s do this for her.” Yet again, her delivery and the line itself equaled a “flip that frown upside down” moment of perfection.
Putting a spin on Charles Dickens’ famous opening line, the screen was filled with the best of fashion and the worst of fashion. The former occured when the characters attended the Met Gala, donning elaborate gowns and costumes in the process. The latter, however, was brief in that it only appeared momentarily in the shape of failed fashion designer Rose’s “air hostess” show… she was even shown crying afterward, giving this point a home run. The stark contrast between the two provided another source of amusement for the audience.
By far the biggest advantage of Ocean’s 8 was the cast. In contrast with Emma. (2020) where the screen contained only unfamiliar faces, I went into this movie expecting greatness from it’s cast. While I received mediocrity the first time, upon rewatching a subsequent two more times, I upgraded that review to fair. The dynamics between the cast were the basis for that upgrade. I have always said that a good movie makes me believe in it’s reality, and the on-screen chemistry worked very well. Blanchett and Bullock were the ultimate power duet, mixing the cheesy yet enjoyable script with superstar acting. Unlike last week’s review of the Addams Family, where each additional pun made me more desperate to turn the television off and never watch a movie again, the cast saved the otherwise average plot and screenplay.
While by no means a cinematic masterpiece, Ocean’s 8 provided light family entertainment, earning a well-deserved four star rating. Like its predecessors, the star-studded movie involved a relatively straight forward plot with some exciting plot twists mixed in-between. All ends were wrapped up nicely, tied together with a diamond-studded bow.