Rating: 
Summary: Perfect summer movie
Review: "The Italian Job" is your classic summer movie: one villain, one hero, one beautiful intelligent woman, one computer geek, one ladies' man, one explosive expert, shake, stir, add a bunch of car chases, a few last-minute surprises, voila. The story is about a group of master thieves led by Donald Sutherland cleverly steal $35 million in gold bars from a safe in Venice, only to have it stolen again. The group must pursue the villain to get the gold back, using Mission-Impossible style technology and an enormous amount of wit. Two things raise this far above its genre: absolute super settings: a boat chase through, under, and around Venice; a set of tricked-out Mini-Cooper cars vrooming through the sewer pipes of LA like kids through a water slide. Really fine performances: Donald Sutherland as the patriarch of the thieves, Seth Green (Scott Evil from the Austin Powers movies) as the funny computer geek, and the supremely creepy Edward Norton as the villain. Only Mark Wahlberg fails to project much of a personality. The thing I appreciated most is that none of the action was faked by computer: it's just good old-fashioned stunt-driving. It's really pretty impressive (it's 'actually happening'); as much as you might have liked this summer's Matrix movie, this one is at least as thrilling because it's 'real.'
Rating:
Summary: Top Notch Remake!
Review: While I love Michael Caine, the original Italian Job was just overall goofy, for today's standards, and the heist wasn't believable, as he had poor technology, a fat blubbering professor, an inept Mafia at his tail, too little money to divvy up amongst a bus full of incompetent nincompoops, and a brain-dead girlfriend. All of which would have better made a Brit Com series than an action movie.
I was reluctant to see this movie when I heard it was coming out... Until my Original Italian Job-loving (and MINI loving, to boot) Dad bought it. I watched it and it was brilliant!
Suspend disbelief for a while and just enjoy the possibility of mastermind thieves and safe-crackers pulling one over the ever-sleezeball-portraying Norton, and getting away with MINI loads of gold bars.
Mark Wahlberg plays well the cunning master-thief Charlie Croker and Donald Sutherland gets an all-too-short, but very well-acted role as the surrogate dad for Charlie, sometimes better than his role as dad for his daughter Stella.
I enjoyed the mix of characters and thought Charlize Theron does a good job as grieving daughter Stella trying to keep away from everything that reminds her of her father, including Charlie. The writers did a good job holding off on cheezy love scenes that so easily could have been inserted in tender, vulnerable moments between the Stella and Charlie.
The others play well with and off each other, from the goofy Seth Green as the resentful ex-Napster Lyle, to a half-deaf loveable Left Ear, and a swaggering smooth-talker of a Brit in Handsome Rob. This small group of characters, as opposed to the large posse Michael Caine had around him, would more believably go along with the heist for a large chunk of the more abundant millions.
While the only resemblance to the original is the three red, white and blue MINIs (originally a nod to the Union Jack), and the heist through a traffic jam (a traffic jam in LA is much more believable than the one in the original, and I thought the writers did a good job reworking that), and a wee bit of Italy in the beginning, this movie holds its own as an original, fun, fast-paced joy ride.
Don't be too hard on the advertisers! It wasn't their idea to incorporate MINIs into the mix. It was from the original movie, after all. But hey, if it encourages you to buy a MINI and do some stunt driving in your own neck of the woods, please do! MINIs rock! And so did this movie. It's worth buying.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Film
Review: This is a movie well worth watching at least once. I won't talk about the plot because its already been discussed in other reviews. It is not a moving or compelling film, just a very excellent action/comedy flick. It gives you plenty of laughs and keeps you on the edge of your seat the first time around. It will keep your adrenaline pumped and the ending, although not amazing, is pretty good. The actors work very well together and Mark Wahlberg does a good job as the leading actor. If you don't want a mindless action film then don't buy this. But if you want something you can soon forget and get plenty of laughs out of then this is the movie for you to see.
Rating:
Summary: Loads of fun and star power.
Review: I just saw the sneak preview last night and loved it. I had heard I should expect a cross between Ocean's Eleven and The Score, and that was pretty close. It has a feel like The Score or Ronin, especially toward the beginning, but it turns out to be much more light-hearted, and sometimes downright silly, but in a good way. Great date movie if you want to show your girl how slick, chic and adventurous you are, especially when you leave the theater and drive really fast! The chase scenes were quite thrilling, I thought. I never buy movie soundtracks, but I'm actually looking forward to seeing this one on sale. Lots of sleek, orchestral drum-and-bass, perfect for pulling off a heist, with a couple of nice old rock tunes thrown in for good measure. As far as the stars, everyone was great. Ed Norton makes a pretty bad bad guy and is just revolting with that terrible mustache. I was impressed with Mark Wahlberg's portrayal of Charlie Croker, and of course Donald Sutherland was great and Charlize Theron was, well, what can I say? She's a gem. Seth Green's "Napster" character was a hoot. I definitely recommend this movie to, well, just about anyone. Awesome land- and cityscapes, too. Really nice cinematography. A near-perfect film.
Rating:
Summary: Good Entertainment, Certainly Not a Classic ,3 1/2 Stars
Review: THE ITALIAN JOB, most of which takes place in Los Angeles, begins with its best sequence of scenes. In this opening, a group of thieves are using every high-tech means available to blast their way into a gorgeous Venetian palazzo and pull off an enormous heist that will net them about $35 million in gold. The subsequent chase through the canals and rii of Venice is thrilling, elaborate and beautifully filmed. The problem for me was, the film was all downhill from there. This sequence (actually filmed in Venice), was so good, I don't think the film had any way to go but down. But, even though the opening scenes are the film's very best, the rest is good enough to provide an evening's entertainment and then some. Like most heist films, THE ITALIAN JOB has an ensemble cast. The group is made up of Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg), explosives expert, Left Ear (Mos Def) computer geek, Lyle (Seth Green), veteran safecracker, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), Handsome Ron (Jason Statham) and Steve (Edward Norton). One of this group betrays the others and the heist in Venice doesn't come off exactly as planned. A year later, in Los Angeles, the group reassembles, joined by John's gorgeous daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron), to exact revenge, which of course involves another heist. The first heist, in Venice, was terrific, but the second one, for me, was too elaborate and over-the-top (and I adore things that are over-the-top). It's impossible to take it seriously, but it could have been a lot of fun. I say "could have been," because I'm sure the makers of THE ITALIAN JOB wanted us to take it seriously. This is a much less lighthearted film than was the original, starring Michael Caine. I think all of the actors do a great job and, despite the fact they're crooks, they're likable. (They aren't pulling the second heist because they want the loot, after all, they're doing it to avenge a betrayal.) Although THE ITALIAN JOB is fast paced and has plot twists and surprises, unlike some caper movies it's still possible to follow the storyline without taking notes or having perfect recall, something I appreciated. There's also some humor in THE ITALIAN JOB, but don't expect a comedy crime caper. THE ITALIAN JOB is, for the most part, dark. While THE ITALIAN JOB is entertaining and well made, it's lacking in believability and Wahlberg, while a very good actor, lacks the charm, class and polish to carry off a caper role like this one to perfection (he definitely needs to be more "Cary Grant" for this type of role). People who are looking for a remake of the original film won't find it here. This is a darker, more action-filled version, with less emphasis on comedy and character. All in all, I found THE ITALIAN JOB great for an evening's entertainment, but it certainly wasn't memorable and it certainly wasn't a classic a la the wonderful HEIST.
Rating:
Summary: A slick, and brilliantly done caper.
Review: A group of expert thieves led by mastermind Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his father figure mentor, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), successfully steals 35 million dollars worth of gold from a Venetian safe. But they are quickly double-crossed by one of their own partners in crime, who kills Bridger and forces the others to plummet into an icy river, leaving them for dead.
A year goes by and Croker contacts Stella (Charlize Theron), Bridger's daughter and a safe-cracking expert, and tells her that he has picked up the trail of the man who killed her father. He invites her to join his team and help reclaim their gold and avenge John Bridger's death.
Don't be discouraged from watching this movie by believing it to be a modernized remake of the 1969 classic. While there are definitely some connections between them (a plot-driving gold heist, car chases involving mini coopers and the movies' titles), this one is an excellently executed, Gary Gray film that shines on its own.
In a tight, solid plot it combines fast-paced action, thrilling suspense, clever and daring heists, great locales, state-of-the-art technology, engaging and witty characters, and a healthy dose of comedy skillfully added in all the right places. And the fact that it leaves out any unnecessary dramatic, life-altering issues makes it even more fun to watch.
The enjoyable mix of characters flawlessly portrayed by the actors, come alive through smart, snappy dialogues and believable characterizations. The choice of good, old-fashioned stunts that lend authenticity to the action over the not always effective CGI special effects, and the surprisingly pleasant musical score, give this movie the perfect finishing touch.
Sit back and enjoy the ride!
Rating:
Summary: Great Entertainment
Review: My guess is those that loved Lost in Translation will HATE this movie, and those that loved The Italian Job hated Lost in Translation. Just my suspicion. But this was full of action, and thank you writers for no love scenes (I'm a girl and I hate love scenes in action flicks). The bad reviews are coming from those that enjoy witty, thought provoking, ground breaking movies, and nothing else (could you ALL possibly be law professors and accountants?) and if that's what you're looking for, then forget it! BUT, if you are looking for great action, fun, great acting (except from Wahlberg) and a great time, then pick up this movie - you won't be sorry...
Rating:
Summary: Good Clean Fun
Review: Hopefully, that caption didn't scare you off. This movie provided pure escapism that didn't annoy the viewer with illogical twists or a plot that unravels. I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I might. It was a surprisingly good adventure story that remained solid to the ending credits. Yeah, you rooted for the good guys (or is that criminals?) all the way through the film but aren't you suppose to in this genre, if it's done right? This movie was done more than right - it was done with a well written script, snappy dialogue, fast paced plot, interesting characters and great acting. Ohhh, the cars didn't hurt either - made me want to run out and get a mini cooper until I remembered they were made by BMW not to mention having two kids....ahhhh the magic of a good film.
Rating: 
Summary: 90 minute commercial for the car
Review: I like Seth Green, and he did a fairly good job taming and personalizing an overblown character. The Italian scenery was entertaining. ...And that's where the compliments for this movie end. The "Italian" part of this job is just the first few minutes. So is its legitimate plot & well-filmed action. After 10 minutes, you can safely ignore-- or curse at--- the remainder of the film. This is a feature-length commercial for the small, british car that has also plagued us through product placement in Austin Powers movies. If product placement doesn't interfere with a movie's plotline, and never makes even an astute viewer think "I've just PAID to watch a COMMERCIAL" for even one moment, then I'm OK with it. If a character in MIB (Tommy Lee Jones, Will SMith) just happens to be wearing a cool watch or sunglasses, FINE. However, this... is not that. FAR from it. This is a movie that is so governed by its product placement, that it's a complete insult to anyone who paid to watch it, even if it's as a $1-rental-video. Plot, photography, dialogue, physics-- it's all plastic bubble-wrapping around this brick of a commercial, and it's hurled through your window. We're asked to believe that these low-slung, cramped matchbox cars are the TOOL OF CHOICE for (get this) stealing heavy gold from a California home...that just happens to have super-wide hallways and (huh ?) special rules of physics so hallway corners, doorways, and staircases are still navigable by these pathetic excuses for cars....WHILE LADEN WITH HEAVY GOLD.
Oh yeah...and then, these selfsame cars that're pushed at us in the house, are the TOOL OF CHOICE for racing along huge truck-wide sewers and city streets. No, no, NO ! Damnit, NO !
"THe Marketing Genius of Product Placement" let his moronic intern write this movie. Murder both of them-- No, their entire warped, pay-me-to-slap-you product placement agency. In Japan, this movie was named after the car: "Mini, mini, mini." Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know about the film ? Go buy a movie that works to earn its purchase price, not this ersatz car commercial.
Rating:
Summary: Didn't quite blow the bloody doors off, but still good fun
Review: Sometimes, you wonder what's the point of remaking a film that's already sublime? Especially when the film in question is partly iconic and you might consider The Italian Job to be a case in point, after all, the Brit original is funny, action packed and just generally great fun in a way that sticks in the mind long after you've seen it for the first, second and subsequent times. I approached the remake with some trepidation as a result, thinking that it would be a near impossibility to improve an almost flawless formula and that the movie would be either stultifyingly dull or just plain silly.
The truth, however, is that The [new] Italian Job isn't really a remake at all; okay, so it contains some strong archetypal associations, there are minis in it, and clever heists, car chases and a few funny lines, but mostly it avoids the inevitable box canyon that it could have ridden into by bringing the original into the present and for the most part, a long way from Italy. The result is fun and occasionally funny and far better than I was anticipating, simply because it was an altogether different film than its namesake. The film lacked Caine's weighty lead and certainly didn't have that cliffhanger ending... but despite this, and its broadly glossy feel, it was certainly enjoyable, slick and clever and quite convincing enough, in a lighthearted sort of way to keep the attention throughout.
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