Danny Ocean: George Clooney	Terry Benedict: Andy Garcia
Tess: Julia Roberts	Rueben Tishkoff: Elliot Gould
Rusty Ryan: Brad Pitt	Linus Caldwell: Matt Damon
Director: Steven Soderbergh

30 Second Bottom Line: An even bigger heist movie. It's the Bad News Bears out to steal $150 million from the world's most secure vault. This vault holds the cash for three major Las Vegas casinos (The Bellagio, The Mirage and the MGM Grand). We get a grand cast with a lot of splash and some decent heist drama.

Story Line: This movie opens with Danny Ocean (George Clooney) being released from four years in prison. He must have gotten arrested at a grand affair because his going-home clothes are a tuxedo and black tie. Could he be more debonair? He's got style, good looks and that devilish, sly, boyish grin. He is the kid who had the constant adventure going on in the back row of class with you, the one always getting you into trouble.

Danny's not out of prison five minutes before he's planning his next move, the world's biggest heist. We know he's gonna pull it off too; he's just got so much going for him. Danny assembles a team of 11 for this impossible caper and we're off to glamorous and splashy Las Vegas for heist training camp. The cast gets a little unwieldy here, but Clooney and Pitt, his main cohort in crime, keep us in the game.

It turns out the casinos are owned by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), a slick, hard- edged, tough businessman. He happens to be dating Ocean's ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts). Tess divorced him while he was doing his time, though Ocean is still sporting his wedding ring. So is this a heist based on healthy, criminal greed or is it Ocean's duel to re-establish himself as top dog with Tess? Though the chemistry between Clooney and Roberts is not explosive, their accomplished acting carries off this undercurrent story. We do effectively feel Clooney burning up with jealousy, determined to destroy Benedict where he seems to be least vulnerable-in his most secure vault.

The voluminous supporting criminals are hardly memorable competing with the enormous presence of the major actors here. In addition to the leading performers, there are scene-stealers from Elliot Gould and Carl Reiner. It's the power of these players that makes this more than just another typical heist movie.

Tell Me More About It: Like the original 1959 version, this film's strength comes from its actors. Instead of Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, we now have Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Elliot Gould, Carl Reiner, and a great director, Steven Soderbergh. The movie works. There are holes that are left unexplained-like where does the massive amount of money come from to recreate the vault for training. But do we really care? We don't. It's a treat to see these actors-and they perform very well with a simple script.

I do question the casting of Julia Roberts as the femme fatale. She looks downright school-marmish as the curator of the Bellagio's museum collection-not very sexy, not even a little Las Vegas (not to mention the over-inflated upper lip). She just doesn't seem to be the type that Benedict would sport as arm candy. And the chemistry with George Clooney seems off-target as well. Clooney is perfectly cast as the guy who can make it all happen and he continues to charm, even through some awkward lines.

The film also captures the intensity and pulse of Las Vegas, climaxing in the frenzy of a blackout the crooks pull off. When the lights come back on, Las Vegas' money is literally up for grabs-every gambler's dream.

An Academy Award winner? No, but if you're up for a quick, splashy visit to Las Vegas, this is it--- and you won't lose your shirt at the blackjack table.

George Clooney: A Perfect Storm	Julia Roberts: Erin Brokovich
Matt Damon: The Talented Mr. Ripley	Brad Pitt: The Mexican
Elliot Gould: Mash	Carl Reiner: The Russians Are Coming
Steven Soderbergh: Traffic