Ocean's 8 Review - A Heist of Sensibilities

Firstly, let’s applaud everything director Gary Ross is trying to pull off here. He’s trying to create a slick heist movie - a film that can be a worthy successor to something as loved as the Ocean’s trilogy. Then, he’s set it against the backdrop of the Met Gala - America’s most anticipated event of the fashion season. Here, the clothes are stunning and the bling is on display. Lastly (and perhaps most evidently) he has to equally distribute the talent of his female ensemble cast. It’s a lot to juggle - and Gary can’t keep all the balls in the air.

Which is a shame and a disappointment, because he gets so much to play with. He has Sandra Bullock, Mindy Kaling, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Akwafina and Sarah Paulson to name a few of the astounding actors in this ensemble. He even has a budget - almost 75 million USD. And then, because the film is set against the Met, he has celebrities with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Anna Wintour and Serena Williams making cameo appearances.

To call Ocean’s 8 an opportunity lost would be a colossal understatement. The film follows Debbie (Bullock), who is the charming Danny Ocean’s estranged sister. After spending five years in prison, Debbie’s out on parole, having formulated a plan to steal The Toussaint, a gorgeous Cartier diamond necklace. Her plan involves a wonky fashion designer, a superficial celebrity and clearly a lot of luck - because the story is more opportune than cogent.

Everything seems to fall into place too perfectly - and there are no serious conflicts that arise. The only serious commotion that seems to emerge involves a magnet, but that too is very easily dispelled. The characters too, are very convenient and seem to have been written as plot devices so that the story can move on, smoothly. The titular team, played by seasoned actors, is far too cliched to make an impact. Each of the characters are one note, and they all lack the simple bite that the protagonists from the previous Ocean’s instalments had.

As Ocean’s 8 continues and as the story unravels, it becomes more and more evident that this is your run-of-the-mill heist movie. There’s nothing more and certainly is nothing less. The characters are too simply written, not the etched and quite frankly unlikable central protagonists we had in previous films. However, if you were to credit the film with anything, it would be that it isn’t derivative of the earlier films.

This instalment has its own distinctive feminine textures. Each of the actresses pull off their parts with the right hint of swagger, but all while maintaining the right amount of deftness and aplomb. Especially good are Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and Anne Hathaway. But the screenplay, written by Gary and Olivia Milch, just doesn’t tell us anything about these women outside the heist.

We’re shown that the stupendous Sarah Paulson, playing Tammy, a mother of two, is a hoarder. Other than a quick montage and a few phone calls throughout the action, nothing of her life is mentioned. The film is too superficial and lacks the depth to truly commit to its female characters. Which is sorrowful, because each of the women act like their lives depend on it. Also good is James Corden, playing John Frazier, an insurance fraud investigator.

Each of these actors lend themselves to the film, but it is ultimately the routine screenplay that lets them down. However, even as the film drones on, these actors carry it on their shoulders. They are in fact so good in their jobs that they, too, seem unfazed by the evident plot holes in the storyline of the film. They each own their misfit characters, especially Rihanna as the hacker 9-Ball. They deserved a better film and quite frankly, so did we.

While walking into Ocean’s 8, I saw the epic poster with that iconic phrase - “The plan is priceless”. Perhaps the plan is priceless, but the story certainly isn’t. I’m going with 2.5 stars out of 5 for Ocean’s 8. It is a glamorous and glossy misfire.