Out of Sight (1998)

George Clooney is always good as the debonaire crook. Right from the start, he has a certain panache as he casually robs a bank - though he ought to have bought a more reliable getaway car. In and out of prison, he ("Foley") finds himself in possession of a US Marshall "Sisco" (Jennifer Lopez) whom he imprisons in the boot of her car after another of his robberies goes awry! His latest period of incarceration, however, introduces him to millionaire fraudster "Dick" (Albert Brooks) who is being ripped off for protection and in-prison luxuries by "Miller" (Don Cheadle). They vie, for a while, over this lucrative gent before deciding that the best plan is to join forces to relieve him of his reputed $5m in uncut diamonds hidden at one of his many properties. With the determined "Sisco" in pursuit, off they set on this quite entertaining quest with plenty of duplicity and the odd thwacking before an ending that is distinctly fishy. Of course there is some romance - "Sisco" and "Foley" certainly spark, and aside from the on-form Cheadle, Ving Rhames and the always slightly quirky Steve Zahn provide much added value as this otherwise procedural story moves along. It's far too long. At over two hours, the film struggles to sustain itself for periods at the start; it takes it's own sweet time to build up an head of steam, but once it gets going it has a genial charm to it and Clooney holds it together with a glint in his eye and his tongue in his cheek. Forgettable, but fun.

Not a favorite of mine amongst Soderbergh's works (I'd rank Ocean's Eleven and Traffic above this) but still highly entertaining crime-romance-comedy with Clooney and Lopez sharing some wonderful chemistry. This one does have Soderbergh's trademark style with cool blues in the Detroit scenes and oversaturation for Florida. 4.0/5