out_of_sight_1

This week sees the release of Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air. Starring George Clooney, it tells the story of a frequent flyer executive who is unexpectedly grounded. The jump from TV to film is never easy, even for those well suited to the movie business. Clooney had a couple of false starts, but that was down to quality of scripts more than it was a reflection on the ER star’s performance.

 He began with a great turn in From Dusk ’til Dawn, then had to grin and bare it through One Fine Day and The Peacemaker (and don’t get me started on Batman and Robin). That’s when the perfect role came along, one that would set his career on an upward flight, and introduce him to a man who would have great influence on his Hollywood career. The man was director Steven Soderbergh, the movie was Out of Sight.

 Clooney is Jack Foley, an infamous bank robber who’s career is stalled by a spot of car trouble. Incarcerated, when he sniffs out a jailbreak he takes the opportunity to piggyback it in his own bid for freedom. In the process, he takes beautiful federal marshal Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez) hostage.

 With the help of partners Buddy (Ving Rhames) and Studs (Steve Zahn) Foley gets away, but so does Sisco. She launches on a quest to track him down and bring the roguish charmer to justice, but the question is whether she’ll arrest him, or fall into his arms.

 Meanwhile Foley and Buddy travel to Detroit to pull off a heist, only to find it has been double booked, thanks to Studs getting mixed up with the wrong kind of people.

‘Snoopy’ Miller (Don Cheadle) and his gang are dangerous, ruthless people. Miller isn’t over the moon about Foley and Buddy’s involvement, and every man must watch his back as they team up for the job.

 Out Of Sight is an adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel of the same name. Literally dozens of Leonard’s hip crime stories have been translated to screen, but none more faithfully or successfully as Soderbergh’s effort. The movie is half love story, half crime caper, not an easy combination to interweave. It is however achieved well here, despite the far-fetched nature of the love affair. The plot is fast paced, the romantic scenes interspersed amongst action and snappy dialogue. Soderbergh includes several of his filmmaking trademarks, toying a little with the time sequence, using interesting camera shots, with the hip, jazzy soundtrack complimenting events the whole way through.

 Jennifer Lopez, before she became J-Lo, is sassy and convincingly tough, despite her diminutive frame. Great support comes from Steve Zahn as the petty crook well out of his element, and a genuinely threatening performance from the excellent Don Cheadle. Also, the best comedic straight man in the business, Luis Guzman, is hilarious in the few minutes of screen time he is allowed.

 This is, however, Clooney’s movie, and he owns it from start to finish. Smooth and charming, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he exudes confidence in every scene. Some might say he is too polished for a bank robber, but that is the part. The Jack Foley of Leonard’s novel is an experienced, highly skilled criminal, with no need for a gun or any other physical force to get the job done. He isn’t perfect, he can be clumsy and make mistakes, and Clooney portrays this well, displaying a talent for physical comedy in the process.

 The performance here was definitely a hint of what was to come from a fine actor. He looks every inch the leading man, and it was this role that showed Hollywood he truly was A-list. George Clooney has gone on to become a successful actor, director, and producer. And with oscar buzz surrounding this latest movie, the only way is Up.

 Out of Sight is available now on DVD.

 Up in the Air hits theatres in the US this Friday 4th December, and the UK on 15th January.

 

Bazmann – You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/baz_mann