"It's like seeing someone for the first time. You can be
passing on the street and you look at each other and for a
few seconds there's this kind of recognition. Like you both
know something, and the next moment the person's gone.
And it's too late to do anything about it. And you always
remember it because it was there and you let it go. And you
think to yourself, what if I stopped? What if I said something? What if?"
This bit of dialogue from "Out of Sight" perfectly captures
the essence of the relationships between characters in this
film. "Out of Sight" is about what ifs and what could have
beens. What the characters do and more importantly what
they don't do directly shapes their fate.
As the film begins, Jack Foley (George Clooney), an aging
career criminal, escapes from a Florida prison with the
help of his loyal accomplice Buddy (Ving Rhames). In the
heat of the moment, they kidnap a beautiful Federal Marshall named Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). She and Jack are stuffed in the trunk of her car as the trio make a
hasty retreat. Trapped in such a small, confined space, the
two of them have nothing to do but engage in idle chitchat.
Even though they are on completely opposite sides of the
law there's a spark, an initial attraction that blossoms into
something more as the film progresses and their paths inevitably cross again.
And so begins one of the finest Elmore Leonard adaptations ever put to film. Where "Get Shorty" was a little
too goofy and "Jackie Brown" was a little too Tarantino,
director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Scott Frank
achieve a perfect mix with "Out of Sight." The film is fast and
loose when it needs to be but knows when to slow it down
and savour the moment as well. The result is a smart, funny and stylish character-driven story.
It doesn't hurt that the film features two very attractive leads.
After a series of so-so films, George Clooney finally hits
paydirt with "Out of Sight." His style of acting is perfect for
this role as he plays Foley with the perfect amount of
laid-back charm. This is typified by his character's introduction -- the most pleasant, non-violent bank robbery
ever committed to film. Clooney has such a likable screen
presence that you just want to see his character succeed.
Conversely, Jennifer Lopez is his perfect foil as a smart,
tough law enforcement officer who can't help but fall in love
with this charismatic criminal. She is a very attractive
woman but not above wielding a shotgun to apprehend a fugitive.
There is a genuine chemistry between the two actors that
makes their romance work. And it is this relationship that
gives "Out of Sight" its depth. There is more to this film than
snappy banter and a hip soundtrack. It's a film about making choices and taking chances despite the sometimes inevitable, painful consequences. It is also an
entertaining look at a collection of colourful characters and
the exciting world they inhabit.
passing on the street and you look at each other and for a
few seconds there's this kind of recognition. Like you both
know something, and the next moment the person's gone.
And it's too late to do anything about it. And you always
remember it because it was there and you let it go. And you
think to yourself, what if I stopped? What if I said something? What if?"
This bit of dialogue from "Out of Sight" perfectly captures
the essence of the relationships between characters in this
film. "Out of Sight" is about what ifs and what could have
beens. What the characters do and more importantly what
they don't do directly shapes their fate.
As the film begins, Jack Foley (George Clooney), an aging
career criminal, escapes from a Florida prison with the
help of his loyal accomplice Buddy (Ving Rhames). In the
heat of the moment, they kidnap a beautiful Federal Marshall named Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). She and Jack are stuffed in the trunk of her car as the trio make a
hasty retreat. Trapped in such a small, confined space, the
two of them have nothing to do but engage in idle chitchat.
Even though they are on completely opposite sides of the
law there's a spark, an initial attraction that blossoms into
something more as the film progresses and their paths inevitably cross again.
And so begins one of the finest Elmore Leonard adaptations ever put to film. Where "Get Shorty" was a little
too goofy and "Jackie Brown" was a little too Tarantino,
director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Scott Frank
achieve a perfect mix with "Out of Sight." The film is fast and
loose when it needs to be but knows when to slow it down
and savour the moment as well. The result is a smart, funny and stylish character-driven story.
It doesn't hurt that the film features two very attractive leads.
After a series of so-so films, George Clooney finally hits
paydirt with "Out of Sight." His style of acting is perfect for
this role as he plays Foley with the perfect amount of
laid-back charm. This is typified by his character's introduction -- the most pleasant, non-violent bank robbery
ever committed to film. Clooney has such a likable screen
presence that you just want to see his character succeed.
Conversely, Jennifer Lopez is his perfect foil as a smart,
tough law enforcement officer who can't help but fall in love
with this charismatic criminal. She is a very attractive
woman but not above wielding a shotgun to apprehend a fugitive.
There is a genuine chemistry between the two actors that
makes their romance work. And it is this relationship that
gives "Out of Sight" its depth. There is more to this film than
snappy banter and a hip soundtrack. It's a film about making choices and taking chances despite the sometimes inevitable, painful consequences. It is also an
entertaining look at a collection of colourful characters and
the exciting world they inhabit.