Out of Sight (1998)

A career bank robber breaks out of jail, and shares a moment of mutual attraction with a U.S. Marshal he has kidnapped.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers:

Elmore Leonard (novel), Scott Frank (screenplay)

Stars:

George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Clooney	...	Jack Foley
Jennifer Lopez	...	Karen Sisco
Jim Robinson	...	Bank Employee
Mike Malone	...	Bank Customer (as Elgin Marlowe)
Ving Rhames	...	Buddy Bragg
Don Cheadle	...	Maurice Miller
Donna Frenzel	...	Bank Teller
Catherine Keener	...	Adele
Manny Suárez	...	Bank Cop (as Manny Suarez)
Dennis Farina	...	Marshall Sisco
Keith Hudson	...	Bank Cop
Steve Zahn	...	Glenn Michaels
Albert Brooks	...	Richard Ripley
Luis Guzmán	...	Chino (as Luis Guzman)
Paul Soileau	...	Lulu

Storyline

A career bank robber busts out of jail (Clooney) with the help of his buddy (Rhames) and kidnaps a US Marshal (Lopez) in the process. When the two cons head for Detroit to pull off their final big scam, the Marshal is put on their case but she finds she is attracted to one of them and has second thoughts about bringing them in.

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Plot Keywords:

opposites attract | bank robbery | u.s. marshal | prison | car trunk | 

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Taglines:

Opposites attract.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some strong violence

Details

Official Sites:

Universal

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un romance peligroso

Filming Locations:

Angola, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$48,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,020,435, 28 June 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$37,562,568

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$77,745,568

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Jersey Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Keaton did their cameos free of charge.

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Goofs

The bag with the fish inside faces different directions in different shots.

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Quotes

[eavesdropping on Maurice trying to shakedown Ripley]
Jack Foley: If you're smart, Ripley, you'll tell this guy to fuck off.
Richard Ripley: Really?
[Maurice gives him a threatening stare]
Richard Ripley: Well, I - I - I don't know.
Jack Foley: First of all, if he kills you, then he's gonna get nothin'.
Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: Well, uh, the man don't just have to die, Foley. I mean, he could accidentally hurt himself falling down on something real hard, you know. Like a shiv, or my dick.
Richard Ripley: [whispers to Foley] I'll pay. I'll pay it. Don't worry.
Jack Foley: If he falls on anything, Snoop, ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The laserdisk/DVD versions contain the following deleted scenes.

• The original trunk scene, much much longer with extra dialog, different lighting and more wriggling.
• Moselle is teaching Snoopy's dog "Tuffy" to do tricks with a Frisbee while Snoopy is watching boxing on TV. Glenn calls to tell Snoopy about the Ripley job and then steals a car from a gas station.
• In a bizarre scene in the Adams Hotel room, Buddy and Jack talk about the feeling you get when you take a bath.
• Karen gets a lecture from her dad about relationships while he fishes ocean debris out of his jetty.
• Extended scene of Karen questioning Adele.
• In the yard at Lompoc, Ripley talks to Foley about fish.
• Glenn, Snoopy, Kenneth and White Boy Bob talk in the car after the transsexual murder.
• We see the rather gruesome transsexual murder scene. Ray Cruz talks to Karen who spots Glenn's broken glasses on the floor.
• Ripley is released from Lompoc and we see him packing stuff from his cell and saying goodbye to Foley.
• After the job "interview" at Ripley's office building, Foley smashes a large fish tank with a paperweight shortly before being thrown out by two security guards.
• Foley and Buddy talk in the hotel after Foley has returned from his "socializing" with Karen
• Putting ski masks on in the van before the Ripley job. White Boy Bob tells a story about leaving his wallet behind at a break in.

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Connections

Referenced in Jersey Girl (2004)

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Soundtracks

Primavera
Written by Juan García Esquivel (as Joyce Esquivel)
Performed by Juan García Esquivel (as Esquivel)
Courtesy of Reprise Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

The Resurrection and Gradual Appreciation of a Classic Film

Steven Soderbergh knows his way around the bizarre, nearly impossible story lines and can translate them to film as few others can. OUT OF SIGHT is a little masterpiece of film-making despite the fact that when it initially screened in 1998 it seemed to slip by theatergoers' attention. Based on the inimitable Elmore Leonard novel the story begs indulgence in credible situations but shines in quality of script and characterization and an atmospheric cinematic capturing of a dark, film noir comedy drama that grabs you by the head and holds you glued to the screen for the duration.

The story is rather simple on the surface - a jailed bank robber escapes with the help of his buddy and plans a major hit only to encounter a federal agent in pursuit of the two who becomes the love interest portion of this strangely convoluted tail. Subplots and sidebars are sprinkled throughout Soderbergh's telling of Leonard's story, serving to keep our minds alert and mesmerized by the plot development.

The cast is absolutely first rate with George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez and Ving Rhames especially pungent in roles that seem written for them. The strong supporting cast includes such fine actors as Steve Zahn, Catherine Keener, Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman , Isaiah Washington, Dennis Farina, and Albert Brooks. And for those who enjoy powerful sexual chemistry Clooney and Lopez offer some of their finest collaborative acting. This is a fine movie and one that doubtless in time will be considered and under appreciated Film Classic. Grady Harp