Ocean's Eleven Details

George Clooney and his A-list pals have fun in the Las Vegas sun in this thoroughly enjoyable caper from director Steven Soderbergh. In a loose remake of the 1960 Rat Pack venture of the same name, Clooney comfortably steps into Frank Sinatra's shoes as Danny Ocean, who is fresh out of jail but still sets about putting together an audacious heist with the help of a ten-man crew. His star cronies include Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Carl Reiner and Don Cheadle, who affects the worst cockney accent you've ever heard. The plan is to hit the vault containing the take from three of the biggest casinos in Vegas, all of which belong to Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), the guy who just happens to be dating Ocean's ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts). This is one of those films that's a joy from start to finish, but doesn't strain the brain for a second. Thankfully, the mechanics of the heist take second place to the glorious interplay of a stellar cast that is clearly having a ball revelling in the sharp, quick-fire dialogue.

A remake as self-indulgent as the original, though slightly more fun; a little more wit, and less striving to seem cool, would have been welcome.