Review of Smokin' Aces (2006) by Chads. — 01 Apr 2007

"Smokin' Aces" introduces too many characters, too quickly, and none of them are particularly memorable(with the exception of Georgia(Alicia Keys) and Sharice(Taraji P. Henson)). Admittedly, the idea of a magician(Jeremy Piven) who aspires to be Michael Corleone(or Tony Montana) is amusing, but the double-life aspect would've been funnier had Buddy(Piven) still been an active entertainer.

The trip to Las Vegas isn't the joyride it should've been, because this filmmaker doesn't write clever and memorable dialogue like Quentin Tarantino; and once we've arrived at sin city, he doesn't quite match Richard Rodriguez's dubious talent of staging violent mayhem that sickens, as well as entertains.

Two actors, both women, who against considerable odds(this is a guys' night out kind of flick) overcome their mediocre dialogue are singer-songwriter Keys, who is surprisingly self-assured as a hit-woman; and Henson, who provides "Smokin' Guns" with any semblance of humanity in the midst of all that flowing blood and testosterone.

Without their presence, their counterbalance against the coked-up hos, "Smokin' Guns" would be answering charges of misogyny by people who hate hip-hop.