I was born in the US to immigrant parents and while I don't care for telenovelas or the typical overracting that is present in Latin entertainment, I really enjoyed this movie.
While it may seem to be a wannabe Ocean's 11, you also have to bear in mind that the recent O11 movies are also knockoff's of an original movie made in the 60's. I don't think that this movie is in any way trying to set itself apart or claim complete originality. The formulas have been used in many movies in the past, present and will continue to be used in the future.
What sets this movie apart is how the subject appeals to a broad group of people on a personal level. This is not the type of movie that could truly appeal to non-Latinos because they have no emotional investment in the storyline. While there may have been a few things that others would consider predictable, it was still worthwhile to view. I think that if non-Latinos could understand the struggles that Latinos endure trying to come to the US, they would have a deeper understanding of what it means to get back at someone who robs their own people.
I think that if I did not speak Spanish I would probably not appreciate the film as much. The nuances in tone and inflection by some of the actors, particularly Oscar Torres, are just outstanding. I loved watching him on the screen and hope to see him in more movies. I think that his character alone, led the audience to an uncertainty of the outcome of the heist. The other actors, popular in the world of Telenovelas, still had some very good performances.
Personally , I would not really compare this to Ocean's Eleven, Italian Job or any of those types of heist movies. Those movies had an air of sophistication that is entirely different than LQRL. I would compare LQRL more to the Donal Logue show, Knights of Prosperity. Equally zany, hilarious and in some cases the performances are so nonsensical you can't do anything but laugh your @ss off.
The ending is of a different type than most heist movies in that it circles back and closes well.