Review of Out of Sight (1998) by Clem666 — 09 Nov 2022

Don't get this "Must see" label.

I enjoyed the atmosphere of the movie, especially these bright scenes in towns which to me are a specific characteristic of these 00's movies. Clearly a model for the 'Ocean's Eleven' which is about to come ou at that time. In addition to that, the soundtrack is very interesting as it fuses jazzy with hip-hop sounds all along. The music is used in a very sensitive way and subtly matches with the different scenes.

The pace of 'Out of Sight' is dreadful. Characters won't stop talking to give us the natural genesis and initial background of the story we are witnessing right now. What's the point? Is this a movie or a told tale? These long conversations do break the movie and give it a fragmented look. There are some few flashbacks but they give a depth to characters, way more than simple words. It clearly contributes to make the transitions between chapters look way too protruding and rude. The love story is really interesting though, as both Karen (Jennifer Lopez) and Jack (Geaorge Clooney) are attracted to each other without making it too much. I really appreciated the finesse of Karen's characters who manages to be a strong women without being overly castrating, making this characteristic a part of her identity without being all of it. The scenes of their encounter in that hotel is simply gorgeous. And paced by a marvelous soundscape. Their acting skills are great for both of them. The rest of the cast is... Well, okay. Don Cheadle as Snoopy is okay even if he clearly lacks of gangster style. Steve Zahn as Glenn is ridiculous as his shows just one face from A to Z, making this characters obviously one-dimensioned. Great cast but under-exploited. Unfortunately, he is not the only one to suffer from the major lack of character development.

'Out of Sight' manages to be funny at times in spite of itself. Because of its ambiance, its fake-old school characters and the credibility it desperately tries to showcase. The very last scenes were the most surprising as the violence and drama eventually show on screen, and totally denote with the the cheerful aspect the movie has installed from the beginning. Entertaining from time to time but clearly not worth that shiny 'must see' label in my humble opinion.