'Ocean's 8' has some spark and dazzle
Not being the greatest fan of the 鈥淥cean's鈥� series 鈥� too much self-congratulatory buddy-buddyism and sloppily plotted skulduggery 鈥� I wasn鈥檛 foaming at the mouth to see 鈥淥cean鈥檚 8,鈥� the female redo directed and co-written (with Olivia Milch) by Gary Ross. Although many of the same things I didn鈥檛 care for in the Clooney and Co. films have carried over into this one, the good news is that at least it鈥檚 not awful, like the all-female 鈥淕hostbusters鈥� reboot. It has some spark and dazzle, at least until the last half hour or so, when it fizzles.
Sandra Bullock plays Debbie, the estranged sister of master con man Danny Ocean (who was played by George Clooney). Released after five years in prison on a fraud charge, Debbie has spent her time in the clink wisely by devising a foolproof jewel heist. The prize: a Cartier necklace worth $150 million. The location: the annual Met Gala in New York City, where the necklace, accompanied by bodyguards at the ready, will be worn by the self-infatuated movie diva Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway).
Debbie鈥檚 assemblage of her crack team has its sly amusements, especially when Cate Blanchett, as Debbie鈥檚 hypercynical best friend, and Rihanna, playing a master hacker, show up. But Rihanna, along with Mindy Kaling, who plays a jewelry expert, are vastly underused, as is Awkwafina as a world-class pickpocket. On the other hand, hammy Helena Bonham Carter, as a cash-strapped fashion designer, is overused. Her hats are funnier than her dialogue. Grade: B- (Rated PG-13 for language, drug use, and some suggestive content.)
