The Italian Job (2003)

After being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally.

Director:

F. Gary Gray

Writers:

Troy Kennedy-Martin, Donna Powers (screenplay)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton

8 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Wahlberg	...	Charlie Croker
Charlize Theron	...	Stella Bridger
Donald Sutherland	...	John Bridger
Jason Statham	...	Handsome Rob
Seth Green	...	Lyle
Yasiin Bey	...	Left Ear (as Mos Def)
Edward Norton	...	Steve
Fausto Callegarini	...	Italian Guard
Stefano Petronelli	...	Garbageman / Thug
Fabio Scarpa	...	Garbageman / Thug
Cristiano Bonora	...	Garbageman / Thug
Tiberio Greco	...	Garbageman / Thug
Jimmy Shubert	...	First Detective
Tammi Cubilette	...	Second Detective
Mary Portser	...	Stella's Receptionist

Storyline

Led by John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) and Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) a team is assembled for one last heist to steal $35 million in gold bars from a heavily guarded safe in Venice, Italy. After successfully pulling off the heist, a team member, Steve (Edward Norton), driven by greed and jealousy, arranges to take the gold for himself and eliminate the remaining members of the group. Thinking the team dead, he returns to Los Angeles with the gold. Charlie and the survivors of this betrayal follow Steve to L.A. to exact revenge against the traitor. Charlie enlists the help of John Bridger's daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron) - a professional safe cracker - to get revenge. With Stella and the hacking skills of Lyle (Seth Green), the explosives skills of "Left Ear" (Yasiin Bey), and the driving skills of "Handsome" Rob (Jason Statham) this new team plans and executes a daring heist that weaves through the freeways and subways of L.A.

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Plot Keywords:

gold | gold bar | scantily clad female | cleavage | premarital sex | 

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Taglines:

It's not about the money. It's about the money.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Venice authority allowed the crew to go over the speed limit for the boat chase sequence.

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Goofs

The wide shot of the driving range facing the "golfers" is not reversed; the numbers and letters are backwards because the signs are facing the street on the other side of the fence, and the camera is showing the back of those signs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Stella: [on the phone] Hello.
John Bridger: [on the phone] Hello, sweetie.
Stella: [on the phone] Daddy, it's early.

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Crazy Credits

Famous British model Kelly Brook appears in the end credits with Lyle.

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Alternate Versions

For the US television version, Steve's line "What the fuck happened to my truck?" has been replaced with alternate footage of him saying "What happened to my truck?". It is not an overdub; it is a complete replacement.

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #22.82 (2006)

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Soundtracks

Go (Pete Lorimer Mix)
by Andy Hunter and Tedd Tjornborn
Performed by Andy Hunter
Courtesy of Sparrow Records/Nettwerk Productions

User Reviews

Nothing like as new and inspiring as the 1969 original

The original 1969 film offered something different. Set mostly in Turin-Italy the film is about a group of clumsy English villains who set out to grab a stash of gold bullion during transit. They find themselves up against it with both the Mafia and the Italian authorities. Much of the film is very typically British from the cast and their accents to the Austin Mini cars (red, white and blue with GB stickers on the back!).

This is one of the few films I can think of that doesn't have a happy ending but it does have the feel good factor and an excellent cliff hanger to boot. When viewed today it obviously lacks some of the refinements we have come to expect from the typical Hollywood blockbuster, some of the acting and camera shots are laughable. However 35 years on it still hold it's own and has many merits including...

Good music Lovely cars 60's Fashion Stunning backdrops Good stunts Original and plausible plot Memorable cliff hanger

A very British film with plenty of character 8/10

The new film is very different to the original movie. In fact most of the good features that the original had going for it were lost. In it's place is a blatant marketing exercise for the new BMW mini mixed in with some good but uninspiring action sequences. The new film starts in Italy but then moves to the U.S. which for me misses the point slightly. I found that the plot involving the traffic light control method used in the new film to be rather geeky and unbelievable at best (another feature that worked better in the old film).

Despite it's faults the film contains some nice action sequences and is watchable (although one viewing is more than enough).

If I hadn't already seen it all before, by itself this might be a great film. However I have and this isn't. 5/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA France Italy UK Germany

Language:

English Russian Italian

Release Date:

30 May 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Italian Job

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,457,944, 1 June 2003

Gross USA:

$106,128,601

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$176,070,171

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, De Line Pictures, Mestiere Cinema

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1