MOVIE REVIEW

Italian Job, The  (2003)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Seth Green, Jason Statham, Donald Sutherland
Director: F. Gary Gray

Rating: PG-13

Studio: Paramount

Release Date: 5.30.03

Review Posted: 5.30.03

Spoilers: Minor

By Sara Michelle Fetters

"Wahlberg Stumbles But Italian Job Still Roars to Finish"

Mark Wahlberg seems to have a thing for remakes and characters named “Charlie.” Three recent films of his have been remakes of classic 1960’s pulp hits, Planet of the Apes, The Truth About Charlie (a remake of Charade) and now The Italian Job. In the latter two, he’s played the main character, which just happens to be a chap named Charlie. Coincidence, or does the former leader of the Funky Bunch have a yen for that name?

Who knows? What I am certain of is that both of the former two remakes bordered on mediocre despite their talented directors (Tim Burton on the first, Jonathan Demme on the second). A big part of that had to do with the fact that, frankly, as the central lead in a feature film, Wahlberg is sorely lacking in gravitas. He just doesn’t hold your attention, and while he can be downright stunning in supporting roles – just check out Three Kings or Boogies Nights for proof there – he’s just not leading man material.

No matter, because this time in F. Gary Gray’s (The Negotiator, A Man Apart) remake the emotional void left at the center of the film by Wahlberg’s performance ends up not hurting all that much. Closing with one of the most entertainingly exuberant heists and chase sequences in recent memory, this is definitely a summer popcorn thriller that actually delivers on its promised smiles.

Wahlberg plays master thief Charlie Croker. With his team of experts; inside man Steve Frezelli (Edward Norton), computer genius Lyle (Seth Green), wheelman Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), explosives guru Left-Ear (Mos Def) and veteran safecracker – and father figure – John Bridger (Donald Sutherland); Charlie pulls off the heist of his career in Venice. Stealing 35-million dollars worth of gold bullion without a single shot fired, he and his team are sitting on cloud nine with none of life’s worries sitting on their radar.

Things for the team are perfect, but when Frezelli decides he’d rather not share, shooting Bridger and dumping the rest of them into a frozen lake, Charlie and his remaining team members have more problems than just trying to decide on how to spend their loot. In fact, the metallic haul is the last thing on their minds as finding Steve and exerting a proper form of payback becomes the chief topic of conversation. No matter how long it takes, no matter where he goes, this group will have its revenge.

The "how long" is one year and the "where" is Los Angeles. Charlie and his team find their old compatriot living the high life in the city of angels and, with Bridger’s safecracker daughter Stella assisting them, they’re off to spring the biggest con of their career and get back their stolen gold. And, hey, if they can execute just a wee bit of payback over their mentor’s death, that would be good, too.

Loosely – very loosely – based on the 1969 Michael Caine thriller of the same name, The Italian Job is a rather rote caper thriller that gamely trots through all the motions. But with a final hour that borders on the excellent, Gray and company go beyond the film’s humble start and survive their leading man’s banality. And while that sounds like a backhanded compliment, it really isn’t, because the goods really do get delivered.

It helps that the movie has such a game cast of character actors to help it along. Theron hasn’t been this fun to watch in ages. Suffering through junk like Trapped and Waking Up in Reno, I’d almost forgotten how much I liked her. Even better, though, are Statham and Def. The former had a surprisingly entertaining success with last fall’s The Transporter, and he just builds on that charisma this time around. Def had small roles in Showtime and Monster’s Ball and Gray gives him the opportunity to breakout with this film, and the award-winning musician doesn’t disappoint.

But the real showstopper is Green. Ever since he played Oz in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I’ve been a huge fan of the pint-sized thespian. A gift for improvisation and a sure bet to bring energy and verve to every project he’s in, Green makes hacker Lyle the film’s true star. I loved the way he played off the movie’s running gag about him and Napster creator Shawn Fanning (making a truly amusing cameo appearance), and his constant effervescence gives the picture a real shot in the arm.

Not faring quite as well is Norton. While always a treat for the eyes, the gifted actor is obviously going through the motions here. Upset with Paramount over having to complete his three-picture deal with this remake, Norton makes Steve an ineffectual villain to say the least. This is a guy I should have hated and wanted to see done in. Instead, all I could think to myself every time he was on screen was just how lucky Salma Hayek is to have the delicious hunk of a man laying beside her on a regular basis.

In any other movie, I’d have to believe that an uninteresting main character and an dreary rapscallion would sink the entire enterprise. Instead, Gray stages the most audacious car chase in recent memory. Using the original’s central conceit of a traffic jam to end all traffic jams, The Italian Job features a chase through the congested streets of downtown Los Angeles. Using red, white and blue Mini Coopers (same as the 69’ original), Gray sends his cast down the walk of fame, in and out of subway tunnels, and racing though viaducts.

It’s so much fun to watch I didn’t really care that the entire sequence was really nothing more than an extended car commercial. And even if this movie does end up increasing sales for the undeniably cute little car – I admit I sort of want one now – I’m not going to cry foul too loudly as I was just so darned entertained by it all.

Still, I don’t want to be unclear: The Italian Job is not a great – or really even a good – movie. It’s fun on the eyes and some of the performances border on excellent, but it is just too bad the central character doesn’t register. But with the year’s best chase sequence – and yes, I’m including The Matrix sequel in that assessment – Gray and company more than get the job done. The Italian Job may not start a renaissance in heist films, but it sure as heck kept me entertained. On that level, it more than passes the requisite summer popcorn movie interview.

Rating: 2.5 out of 4

TOP