Smokin' Aces (2006)

Director:

Joe Carnahan

Writer (WGA):

Joe Carnahan (written by)

Release Date:

26 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

May the best hitman win.

Plot:

When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.

Plot Keywords:

Lake | FBI | Magician | Casino | FBI Agent

Awards:

4 wins

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Dec. 30

10:30 PM

USA

Cast

Ryan Reynolds	...	Richard Messner
Ray Liotta	...	Donald Carruthers
Joseph Ruskin	...	Primo Sparazza
Alex Rocco	...	Serna
Wayne Newton	...	Himself
Jeremy Piven	...	Buddy Israel
Ben Affleck	...	Jack Dupree
Peter Berg	...	"Pistol" Pete Deeks
Martin Henderson	...	Hollis Elmore
Common	...	Sir Ivy
Christopher Michael Holley	...	Beanie (as Christopher Holley)
Andy Garcia	...	Stanley Locke
Mike Falkow	...	Freeman Heller
Joe Drago	...	FBI Aid
Jeff Habberstad	...	Top Coated Gunman

Also Known As:

Mi$e à prix (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some nudity and drug use.

Runtime:

109 min | USA:108 min

Country:

UK | France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:18 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Australia:R | South Africa:16LV | Sweden:15 | USA:R (No. 41676) | Norway:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | New Zealand:R18 | Germany:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Denmark:15 | Japan:R-15 | Italy:VM14 | France:-12 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Rockne's Plumbing (Lazlo Soot's getaway van at the beginning of the film) is named after director Joe Carnahan's son, Rockne.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Swede is supposed to have come from "Stockholm University", Sweden. This is not possible as it is the Karolinska Institutet that is the university hospital of Stockholm where medicine is studied and researched.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Donald Carruthers: You've got to be careful when doing your stakeouts. I did one for... I was on one for six months. I gained, like, 20, 25 pounds. You keep eating this crap...
Richard Messner: Well, that's not my problem, though. I don't gain weight. I tried.
Donald Carruthers: That's 'cause your 12 years old.

Movie Connections:

References Chasing Amy (1997)

Soundtrack:

Save Yourself

Welcome to the magic show

Smokin' Aces was most certainly a bit of a magic show within itself, in that while you watched the evident plot go one way, you didn't notice the actual plot until BAM! it came out of nowhere. It wasn't the most coherent of plots sometimes, but for the most part it all wraps up in the end.

As far as greatness goes, this won't be up there winning awards. Rather, it might be remembered fondly as "that cool movie I saw a while ago." Good drama, good action. Ryan Reynolds breaks out in a truly serious and compelling role.

Definitely a movie worth viewing.