Out of sight (Un romance muy peligroso)

Ah, 1998… Bill Clinton was still in the White House, the Gulf War had no sequel, gas was under $2.00 a gallon, and a kinda-known actress was in her pre-J. Lo/Jenny from the Block/Bennifer/media whore phase.

Back when she used to have a little (now she has a lot), Jennifer Lopez was actually enjoyable in Steven Soderbergh's 'Out of Sight.' I saw this in the theater when it came out and remember thinking it was one of the better films I'd seen that year. I watched it again last night on DVD, and I have to say that it still holds up. Clooney is finally given a worthy vehicle, and he and Lopez have actual, undeniable chemistry on the screen. The supporting players (especially the incomparable Don Cheadle) are perfectly cast. Soderbergh effortlessly knocks this one out of the park.

One critic gave the film two and a half out of four stars and claimed 'Out of Sight' was in need of a 'shot of adrenaline,' but I have no idea where he's coming from. When you think of all the bad movies that are released in any given year, you'd think you'd appreciate something like this.

Critically acclaimed, but definitely not universally seen, I can see both sides of the reasoning behind the attention Steven Soderbergh's Out of Sight may, or may not have received. Soderbergh's directorial breakthrough with indie drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape lifted him into the public spotlight as a notable presence in the film industry itself, but didn't gift him the commercial appeal of a Spielberg or Lucas. This was especially apparent after a number of commercial failures following Sex, Lies and Videotape. Out of Sight, represents his first self-acknowledged attempt to gain a foothold amongst the multi-plex masses. As such, in my opinion, it's a very well made, entertaining film. Not a great one, as some would have you believe, but a good one, worth seeing.

Out of Sight features many of the Soderbergh hall marks, in that it is a crime/heist thriller with multi-dimensional storylines, some nonlinear storytelling and quite distinctive lighting and cinematography. But nothing to the degree that finds the story being overwhelmed by pretensions to arthouse significance, as might be claimed of much of his earlier work. It also has a terrific cast, boasts a killer soundtrack and has a couple of really appealing cameo appearances. Michael Keaton bobs up midway through, as a cross pollinating character, both for this film and Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown. Then Samuel L Jackson emerges unexpectedly to wrap the movie up on a realistically positive, if not traditional Hollywood ending.

What it does have is a narrative based on an Elmore Leonard novel. Leonard novels translated to the screen invariably mean plenty of dialogue, albeit clever and humorous in a frequently blackish way, but a surfeit of dialogue that may conversely lead to perceptions of a lack of action. Think Get Shorty! Be Cool! The afore mentioned Jackie Brown! The list is extensive. Out of Sight is one of these movies; a 2+ hour film with lots and lots of dialogue and earnest discussions surrounding shady "jobs", both carried out in the past and planned for the future, but no big set action pieces. It's the storyline and the characters which are the focus here and none more important than the relationship between non-violent career bank robber Jack Foley (George Clooney) and US Marshall (runs in the family) Karen Sisko.

Their chemistry in their (surprisingly only) 2 key scenes is palpably intense and enjoyable. Both are very good with Clooney consolidating his growing A-list status at the time and Lopez proving, with a deliberately understated sexiness, she can really act and is more than capable of carrying a picture as the lead actress. Terrific support from the likes of Ving Rhames kind of doing what he does in Mission Impossible, Don Cheadle convincing as the jocular, but clearly dangerous key villain and Steve Zahn, as the nervy, out of his depth, comic relief who is the instigator of much of the later action. The bench is just full of abundant talent.

For this writer, Out of Sight, whilst not quite deserving of its critically showered, monumental status, is still a very entertaining, though talky, professionally made, fun, movie experience. It certainly deserved a greater audience on its initial release and likely needed to be promoted/handled better by its studio.

In the tradition of Get Shorty, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, Out Of Sight revels in loser crims, wry dialogue and flashbacks. Out Of Sight hasn't the gleefully exuberant, oops, bloodshed of Pulp Fiction or Get Shorty (not much of it anyway), or the stunning languidity of Jackie Brown but even without marked pizzazz, Out Of Sight excels. In Out Of Sight Jack Foley (George Clooney) gets busted doing a stupid bank hold up (even though he's done a couple of hundred of them), escapes from prison but then gets mixed up with U.S. Marshal Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). Foley is chasing some uncut diamonds he's heard about in prison from another crim called Ripley (Albert Brooks), but so are a bunch of other crooks. Elmore Leonard's books (other adaptations have been Get Shorty, Jackie Brown and now Out Of Sight) are full of men who are both losers and who also live on the thin side of the law. But Leonard colours these characters affectionately. Their mishaps and schemes tend to be both awful and funny. The women on the other hand tend to come out on top; they're smarter and more sensible. Out Of Sight is trashy in the nicest way. Out Of Sight of sight largely revolves around the relationship between the crook and the Marshal, between George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. George Clooney holds his place in Out Of Sight of sight pretty well but Jennifer Lopez again shines. Money Train, Anaconda, Blood And Wine, U Turn and now Out Of Sight have established the New York born actress as one of the best on the big screen these days. She adds wit and strength to a part which could have easily been flat, and didn't have to emphasise either her Latino heritage or her curvy body to do it. She makes Out Of Sight work. And then, somehow, these crooks and their crazy schemes make sense, even if running upstairs carrying a loaded gun doesn't.

Chemistry so hot that they ignite the screen. Too bad it didn't ignite the Box Office, but Out Of Sight is one movie both George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez can feel damn proud of. Maybe it's the fact that George's criminal character is *actually* funny and multi-dimensional. Maybe it's the fact that the storyline actually has a story to it - and an interesting one at that. Hell - maybe it's just that J.Lo walks around in skimpy outfits - curves flaunted - and likes to kick butt. After much consideration, I must concur: it's equal parts to all 3.

Strong performances by Clooney (Jack) and Lopez (Karen), as well as George's Ocean's 11 co-star Don Cheadle. Witty script and likeable characters with a satisfying and plot-twisting ending. What more can you want? Did I hear you say Jennifer Lopez naked? Yeah well, you won't get that here... but it's good all the same!

This movie is okay, it did not provide me much excitement. It is a noir-love story buried inside a heist movie inside an action film.

However the movie is more interesting for everything that surrounds it rather than what happens in it. It is funny to see how similar it is to the Oceans' movie. They share all the same ingredients, except for the brutal violence that is in this movie. But the rest is pretty much on point, the camera work, the music, the dialog, the characters, even the tone with the witty funny light hearted lines.

The actors are what elevates the film : the plot is very simple but it has this old-school-hustlers charm to it. The film has flashbacks and attempts to do non-linear storytelling, but it is not necessary, the characters actions drive the movie.

George Clooney is suave robber Jack Foley, a character that is suave and cool, but not too much. He is street-wise and self-aware, he is the thief with a heart of gold. He is smart but that does not prevent him to fail in almost any of his schemes. We root for him not only because he his cool but also because the odds are against him. A character so efficient so relatable, so compelling that it will be the basis for glamour-superstar Danny Ocean.

Jennifer Lopez is young try-hard Jennifer Lopez. It is endearing to see the freshness and naivete of her character. She is basically the female love interest and her role revolves around being obsessed with Clooney. Again the contrast modern Jlo is the most enjoyable.

Don Cheadle plays the over-the-top villain. It works because is roughness and brutality play off against Clooney's smoothness.

The heist barely matters really, and that is where the film achieves balance. The universe is grounded and realistic (very violent and raw), but the characters effortlessly glide through it. I think that it gives the edge that was lacking in the Oceans' and therefore made those movies rely more heavily on swagger and bravado rather than charm and wit. In Ocean's the world is effortless and cool and suave, the characters are cool and effortless and suave : it deflates the tension somewhat. In Oceans defence, it make the film more palatable for the mainstream. This film on the other hand cannot really escape its genre. It stays in the bounds of the action movie.

This movie really acts a stepping stone for Clooney : it is part Dusk Till Dawn with the gruesome crime story and part Ocean's Eleven with the light hearted heist with no stakes. The movies sexuality is also somewhat interesting. It is very difficult to watch in a post-me-too world. But in a strange way, it reinforce the overall sexual violence that the film portrays. All in all it is a reflection of its era. I believe it stands next to Heat, Reservoir Dogs and others as part of the 90s golden age of heist-movies. The lost art of a simpler time.

Also the best-scene of the film is when a van drives up a snow-covered alley. The mesmerizing way the tires plow through the fresh snow is something I don't recall having seen in film. (Was it special effects ? was it one take ? we may never know)