Ocean's Thirteen

The easy camaraderie among the major players remains the most predictably entertaining aspect of the film. That's particularly true of Danny's relationship with Rusty (Brad Pitt), which refers in-jokingly to the actors' famous friendship. (A couple of times, Ocean's Thirteen drops you into their conversation midway, without back-story or explanation, so that punch-lines seem both unknowable and strangely satisfying, as in Rusty's apparently clever rejoinder: "I said, 'What do I look like, a pancake eater?'"). Other relationships are less enjoyable. Since Linus (Matt Damon) is working through rather conventional "issues" with his father (an old-school con man), he offers to be the designated seducer of Willie's "right hand man," who's actually a woman -- Abigail Spooner (Ellen Barkin). With Danny's wife, Tess (Julia Roberts), absent for this outing, Spooner is the designated girl, and, unfortunately, she seems quite desperate -- both to please her boss and to find sensual pleasure with "younger men" -- making her look more foolish than smart. Similarly, the film makes raucous fun of a hotel reviewer (David Paymer), who the schemers abuse mercilessly with rashes, tainted food, and more.

Each conniver gets a moment in the spotlight, as per formula: Frank (Bernie Mac) runs a dominos table, Basher (Don Cheadle) swaggers as an Evel Knievel-style motorcycle stunt rider, and the moral-minded Malloy brothers (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan) encourage a workers' demonstration in Mexico before ensuring the manufacture of trick dominos for Frank's game. By the time the crew enlists the help of former foe Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), the 122-minute running time is wearing thin, which makes the big climax a little less exciting.