'Ocean's 8' movie review: You won't miss George Clooney too much
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Critics are divided over the merits of "Ocean's 8," but you can count me on the side of those who like it.
I am a big fan of the original and didn't miss George Clooney too much in this version with an all-female gang of thieves. It helps that the heist takes place at the annual Met Gala, making this movie of particular interest to folks here in the city.
Sandra Bullock's character is newly released from prison and bent on continuing her life of crime because. As her character says: "It's what I am good at."
She's spent the last five years working out (what she thinks is) a fool-proof plan to steal a famous necklace --- right off the neck of a movie star. It contains more than six pounds of diamonds valued at more than $150 million.
Bullock's Debbie Ocean is the sister of the character played by George Clooney in the previous movies. She and Cate Blanchett's "Lou" seem to have been more than just friends, but "Ocean's 8" doesn't have the courage to explore the exact nature of their relationship.
The thieves they recruit each have a helpful specialty. Rihanna plays a computer hacker. Her attitude -- so familiar to her fans -- is a real asset here.
Mindy Kaling as a jeweler is as good as Helena Bonham Carter. Her character plays a designer who will be familiar to followers of fashion. (They're looking at you, Betsey Johnson!)
Anne Hathaway's parody of herself is highly entertaining, and I didn't guess at a plot twist involving her movie star character.
The rapper known as Awkwafina comes close to stealing the movie as a pickpocket. All combine for a fun romp that relies on New Yorkers in particular to suspend our disbelief, because we know some of this stuff could never happen at an event as secure as the Met Gala!
The relationships among the women could have been explored more fully, in particular, the relationship between Sandra Bullock's character and Cate Blanchett's, but really, I was having too much fun to notice while watching this fun film.
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