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All Movie Info
Starring:
Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Common, Joseph Ruskin, Andy Garcia, Alex Rocco, Wayne Newton, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Peter Berg, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Henderson, Taraji P. Henson, Alicia Keys, Chris Pine, Christopher Michael Holley, Scott Bloom, Tommy Flanagan, Mike Falkow, Mike Falkow
Directed By:
Joe Carnahan
Written By:
Joe Carnahan
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Smokin' Aces (2007)
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Empty Pockets saves the movie.
Watch this movies you will know what that phrase means. I avoided this movie for the simple reason that it appeared to be built solely on a foundation of over-the-top flashy characters and not much substance. After seeing the movie I realize there was much more to it than that. I tend to shy away from movies that are loaded with numerous "big name" actors and actresses because that usually detracts from the story line (if you don't believe me watch Big Trouble.) My point is that the production company buys a promising script and then spends most of the budget on the cast as apposed to refining the story to make it totally cohesive. In this case, I think they were both accomplished.
In a nutshell, the movie is about Buddy "Aces" Israel, a Las Vegas magician who forms a bond with a mafia boss Primo Sparazza. Over time Israel commits so many crimes and murders that it raises suspicion and lands him at the end of a million dollar hit. The F.B.I. want to cut him a deal, bondsmen want to collect on his contract and multiple hit men are looking to make a quick million by handing his heart over to Sparazza.
The USA network used the tag line "Characters welcome" to describe their line up of TV shows. It seems the casting and creative director took that to heart. The group of bail bondsmen (Ben Affleck/Jack Dupree, Peter Berg/"Pistol" Pete Deeks and Hollis Elmore/Martin Henderson) are very disposable in this movie and don't add much other than a narrative. The Tremor brothers (Chris Pine/Darwin Tremor, Kevin Durand/Jeeves Tremor, and Maury Sterling/Lester Tremor) look like they were trying out for a remake of Mad Max and ended up at the casting call for this movie instead. I couldn't get past how ridiculous they looked I feel they hurt the movie. I loved Jeremy Piven as Buddy "Aces" Israel because I hated him so much, a true sign of an actor or actress fulfilling their respective roles. If I hate somebody simply for the total jerk character they portrayed, then it clearly evoked an emotional response which is ideally what they are out to accomplish. The characters I really like in this movie were Ryan Reynolds as Special Agent Richard Messner because he was convincing as a serious F.B.I. agent and really stepped away from the goofy/carefree/loveable slacker that he usually plays (Van Wilder pretty much sums it up.) After seeing this I am even more supportive of him being "The Flash." Ray Liotta as Special Agent Donald Carruthers added to Reynolds credibility and as always played the role of F.B.I./cop very well. Jason Bateman as Rip Reed was great, but what role has he played recently that isn't great? Matthew Fox bothers me to no end. I don't know why, he bothered me in Party of Five and in Lost, but he was great as the head of security at the Nomad Hotel (where Israel is be held under witness protection.) The wig and mustache just add to the anal retentiveness you know a guy like that would display in real life. Andy García as Assistant Director Stanley Locke was no shock; he has brass in this movie and pulls it off as always. And to even it all out I was impressed with Alicia Keys as Georgia Sykes and Common as Sir Ivy because you take a risk whenever you cast serious roles to musical artists. It is no slight on them, but acting in music videos is a different beast than acting in movies. Overall I hated this movie up until the end which made it a great film.
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