The Italian Job

The cast also boasts a number of great faces including Seth Green, Jason Statham, Mos Def and even a cameo by glamour model Kelly Brook. And while they fall into the typical heist-movie roles available such as the computer guru, the explosives expert and the loose cannon; it is generally well played with mild moderation of wisecracks here and there to fill in the gaps between chases.

Obviously the true stars of the film are the mini coopers themselves, and if there's anything remotely spectacular about the film, it's the stunt driving sequences. The much hyped chase within a grid locked LA is pretty funky, especially if you're familiar with the city. There's even a quick drive round the LA Convention Centre, the home of a certain annual games expo.

However, there weren't enough juicy set pieces to get your teeth into or to turn the film around. Not only does The Italian Job fall on the wayside spending most of its energy just building up to the much inevitable mini cooper chase scenes, but in doing so loses the edge on its ensemble performances.

I felt the script at times was bordering on the bland side and the ensemble dynamic was more smoky than on fire. Each character is clichéd in their reactions and motives, and I was honestly waiting for something to grab me or at least grab the cast to make a u-turn outta the screenplay. There's no shortage of twists and turns in the plot too, though it's very predictable in its narrative, beats and set-ups which almost follow the genre rulebook to the tee.

Furthermore, as his biggest fan I was pleasantly surprised and disappointed by Norton's performance as the villain. Regardless of contractual obligations to the film, Norton has played villains more convincingly and wisely before. Yes, his character did have a smirk I wanted to wipe off myself but I was almost ready to pop my American History X DVD just to reaffirm my faith in Norton as one of the best actors of his generation. This film does him no justice.

As far as the region one DVD is concerned, it's a pretty average affair: some decent featurettes are present but without the participation of Norton. A smattering of deleted scenes and some behind-the-scenes goings on, focussing particularly on the diverse range of vehicles in the film. And that's about it really.

Transistor Sister
Film Critic, Kikizo Movies