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| Genre: | Drama |
| Year: | 1998 |
| Rating: | R |
| Length: | 2 Hours 3 Minutes |
| Cast: | Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames |
However cultural historians choose to characterize the Clinton era, with its blockbuster special-effects movies, reality TV, and teenybopper bands, it's a sure bet that Out of Sight will be counted among the era's coolest films. The characters look good and say neat things, as they do in so many movies. But what's special about this cops-and-robbers movie are its peerless craftsmanship and respect for the audience. Credit vanguard American indie director Steven Soderbergh, whose Hollywood movies (Erin Brockovich) percolate with a human pulse and intelligence that's often absent from big-studio offerings. The cast is sharp and puts in work to be remembered -- especially stars George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez and character actors Ving Rhames and Steve Zahn. In the vein of Soderbergh's other Elmore Leonard adaptation, Get Shorty, the storytelling revels in the gritty simplicity of the story: This is a movie about a sexy bank robber (Clooney) who falls in love with a U.S. marshal (Lopez) who, in pursuing him, seems equally driven by lust for justice and just plain lust, too. Broken down to these essentials, Out of Sight seems sprung from pulp novels, a shocking tabloid-worthy tale. But in Soderbergh's shots, editing, and soundtrack stylings, the film emerges as an experiment in cool; and a remarkably successful one. Dave Roth
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