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Smokin' Aces

Smokin' Aces stars Ben Affleck, Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, and Jeremy Piven among others. It's an ensemble piece that tells the story of Buddy Israel, a Las Vegas magician mixed up with the mob. The mob wants him dead, and Israel wants a deal with the FBI for protective custody in exchange for information on the mob operations in Vegas. Meanwhile, news of the $1 million dollar price on Israel's head spreads like wildfire, and more hitmen, bounty hunters, and bail enforcement agents are all on Israel's trail in addition to the two FBI agents tasked with taking him into custody the minute the deal goes through. Everything starts to spiral out of control as these various eccentric and dangerous personalities all converge on a Nevada hotel gunning for Israel. Some want him dead; others want him alive.
This movie is fast paced and has quite a few colorful characters; with its ensemble and myriad twists, it reminds me of the Ocean's Eleven movies. There are many different threads as the narrative bounces between characters before they all connect for an explosive and violent showdown at one unfortunate hotel.

I recommend you check out this movie, especially if you enjoyed Ocean's Eleven and its sequels. It may not be quite as smart, but it is definitely in the same vein as that film.


--Reviewed by Ms. Angie

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Noelle said…
I watched this movie last night. I liked it except I thought the twist at the end was kind of silly. You're right about the characters. They were interesting and I thought it was neat how they would switch between different conversations while continuing the dialog.
June 2, 2008 at 11:43 AM
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