OUT OF SIGHT (1998)
Rating: 2.0 stars (out of 4.0) ******************************** Key to rating system: 2.0 stars - Debatable 2.5 stars - Some people may like it 3.0 stars - I liked it 3.5 stars - I am biased in favor of the movie 4.0 stars - I felt the movie's impact personally or it stood out ********************************* A Movie Review by David Sunga
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Written by: Scott Frank, based on a novel by Elmore Leonard
Starring: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames
Ingredients: Male bank robber, female federal marshall, true love
Synopsis: A gentleman con man named Foley (George Clooney) busts out of jail with the help of his friend Buddy (Ving Rhames). Their plans are complicated by the accidental presence of federal marshall Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez), whom they have to hide temporarily in the trunk of the car, along with Foley.
While in the trunk, Foley and Karen realize that they are both lonely, both photogenic, and both people who enjoy romantic risks. If it weren't for the fact of being on opposites sides of the law, they could be a couple. Karen escapes, and the rest of the movie is mainly about their attraction, not so much about action. When Karen learns Foley will be in Detroit for a burglary, their attraction gets a second chance.
Will he catch her or not? Will she catch him or not? Will they have an argument? Will he fantasize about her? Will she fantasize about him? And will the ending be happy, tragic, or end with a nod and a wink?
The movie answers all.
Opinion: In OUT OF SIGHT charmers George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez stand out in marked contrast to anyone in this movie who is non-beautiful, since non-beautiful main characters (especially Hispanics) are portrayed as all dreadfully dorky, unintelligent, vindictive, and grossly incompetent. Actually Karen Sisco (Lopez) is also incompetent any time she's matching professional wits with bank robber Foley, but luckily she always suddenly regains her toughness and intellect when dealing with anyone else. Contrived, but hey, it's a romance. The thing is, I always wonder is why there always has to be a weaker sex in a formular romance.
On the other hand, fans who enjoy the sight of George Clooney or Jennifer Lopez will enjoy this movie, as it provides lots of glamorous footage of these two stars in different clothing, hair colors, and hairstyles, along with charming dialogue and flirtatious lines.
One interesting thing about the script OUT OF SIGHT is how it jumps back and forth between prison conversations in a facility in Florida and earlier conversations in a facility in Lompoc, California to show how and when Foley met various criminal acquaintances.
As long as fans know to be expecting a slow romance, rather than a hard-hitting drama or action movie, the conversation in OUT OF SIGHT should be enjoyable. The main idea ("What if a bank robber falls for cop?") is never left out of sight.
Reviewed by David Sunga July 1, 1998
Copyright © 1998 by David Sunga This review and others like it can be found at THE CRITIC ZOO: http://www.criticzoo.com email: zookeeper@criticzoo.com
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