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Ocean's Eleven
2001 film by Steven Soderbergh From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Ted Griffin. A remake of the 1960 film of the same name, it serves as the first installment in the Ocean's franchise. The film features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, and Carl Reiner. Its plot follows Danny Ocean, a recently paroled con artist who orchestrates a complex scheme to simultaneously rob the vaults of three major Las Vegas casinos owned by Terry Benedict, the current partner of Ocean’s ex-wife, Tess.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on December 7, 2001, by Warner Bros. Pictures. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its direction, performances, and stylish execution. A commercial success, the film grossed $450.7 million worldwide against a production budget of $85 million, making it the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2001.
The film's success led to two direct sequels, Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007), both directed by Soderbergh and featuring much of the original cast. A spin-off film, Ocean's 8, starring an all-female ensemble, was released in 2018.[2][3]
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Plot
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Professional thief Danny Ocean is released from a New Jersey prison after serving four years. Upon his release, Ocean meets one of his former associates, con man Frank Catton (in disguise as a dealer), at a Jersey casino. The two meet afterwards in a bar, and Ocean tells Catton about a plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos - the Bellagio, the Mirage, and the MGM Grand. Ocean then travels to Los Angeles to reunite with his former partner, Rusty Ryan. Together they approach their wealthy associate Reuben Tishkoff in Las Vegas with Ocean's proposal to rob the casinos—all owned by Tishkoff's rival, Terry Benedict. Eager to exact revenge on Benedict for demolishing his casino to make way for "some gaudy monstrosity", Tishkoff agrees. Anticipating that the casinos’ underground vault will hold more than $150 million during an upcoming high-profile boxing match, Ocean outlines a plan to infiltrate and rob the facility, which is protected by extensive security systems. Motivated by a desire to get back at Benedict, who previously forced him out of the casino business, Tishkoff agrees to fund the operation.
Ocean and Ryan recruit eight specialists to carry out the heist: con man Frank Catton, retired grifter Saul Bloom, demolitions expert Basher Tarr, surveillance technician Livingston Dell, acrobat Yen, pickpocket Linus Caldwell, and the Malloy twins, Virgil and Turk, who serve as mechanics and drivers. A full-scale replica of the casino vault is constructed for practice, and each team member is assigned tasks to infiltrate the casinos, gather intel, and prepare for the operation.
Linus, while tailing Benedict, learns that he is dating Tess, Ocean’s ex-wife. Concerned that Ocean’s true motivation is personal, Ryan considers aborting the plan, but Ocean insists on moving forward. Ocean later confronts Tess, rekindling unresolved tensions, and meets with Benedict, who has him forcibly removed and barred from his properties.
On the night of the heist, Ocean deliberately gets himself captured by Benedict's security and detained in a surveillance-free room, where he is secretly aided by an accomplice. Meanwhile, the team initiates the plan: Saul, disguised as a high-roller, convinces Benedict to store a briefcase of valuable "jewels"—actually explosives—in the vault; Yen is smuggled inside the vault via a service cart; and Basher activates an electromagnetic pulse that disables power to the casino, including its security systems. With the power down, Ocean and Caldwell descend into the vault, subdue the guards, and use the disguised explosives to breach the vault door.
Rusty contacts Benedict, informing him of the robbery and demanding that half the vault's contents be delivered to a waiting van or the entire haul will be destroyed. Benedict complies, only to later discover that the van was a decoy filled with worthless flyers and controlled remotely. Simultaneously, a SWAT team storms the vault and detonates the remaining explosives, seemingly destroying the remaining cash. However, Benedict soon realizes the footage he saw of the vault was fabricated, as the floor lacks the recently added Bellagio logo.
It is revealed that the crew had impersonated the SWAT team, entered the vault under that guise, and exited with the stolen money in duffel bags. Ocean, having returned to the secure room, is confronted by Benedict but is not implicated in the crime. Tess watches a surveillance feed showing Benedict choosing the money over her, prompting her to leave him. Although Ocean is arrested for violating his parole, he and Tess reconcile before his departure.
Three to six months later, Ocean is released from prison and picked up by Tess and Rusty. As they drive away, Benedict’s men follow closely behind.
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Cast
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The Eleven
In order of recruitment:
- George Clooney as Danny Ocean, an ex-con who establishes a heist
- Bernie Mac as Frank Catton, a discredited croupier and con man
- Brad Pitt as Robert "Rusty" Ryan, Danny's friend and partner in crime
- Elliott Gould as Reuben Tishkoff, a former casino owner who is Danny's wealthy friend
- Casey Affleck and Scott Caan as fraternal twins Virgil Malloy and Turk Malloy respectively, mechanics and muscle for the team
- Eddie Jemison as Livingston Dell, an electronics and surveillance expert
- Don Cheadle as Basher Tarr, an explosives expert
- Qin Shaobo as "The Amazing" Yen, an acrobat
- Carl Reiner as Saul Bloom, an elderly con man
- Matt Damon as Linus Caldwell, a pickpocket
The Casino
- Andy García as Terry Benedict, the owner of the three casinos the crew wants to rob
- Julia Roberts as Tess Ocean, Danny's ex-wife, now the art curator at the Bellagio, one of Benedict's casinos
- Scott L. Schwartz as Bruiser, hired muscle for Benedict
- Michael DeLano as Frank Walsh, Terry's casino manager and second in command
- Richard Reed as Bucky Buchanan, someone who knows Saul from the past
- David & Larry Sontag as "The Power Twins", two bodyguards/hired muscle working for Benedict
Cameos
- Five television actors make cameos as themselves, being taught how to play poker by Rusty:
- Jerry Weintraub as Denny Shields, a high-roller gambler
- Siegfried & Roy as themselves
- Wayne Newton as himself
- Henry Silva and Angie Dickinson as themselves (both appeared in the original film)
- Eydie Gormé and her husband Steve Lawrence as themselves
- Boxers Wladimir Klitschko and Lennox Lewis as themselves
- Boxing commentator Larry Merchant and sportscaster James Lampley as themselves
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Production
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Development
In 1987, producer David Permut announced plans to remake the 1960 film Ocean's 11 following his work on the film adaptation of the television series Dragnet. However, the project did not move forward beyond the development stage.[4] In January 2000, Variety reported that Warner Bros. was actively developing a new version of Ocean’s Eleven with Steven Soderbergh attached to direct. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts were attached to star in the project, which was envisioned as a modern reimagining of the original film.[5]
The script was written by Ted Griffin, who adapted the concept of a multi-casino heist into a contemporary setting centered on the Las Vegas Strip. The heist's central technological device, a fictional electromagnetic pulse generator known as "the pinch," was loosely based on the real-life Sandia Z-pinch. Scientists later noted, however, that the film's portrayal of the device's effects was exaggerated and scientifically implausible.[6]
Casting
Early in development, Johnny Depp was considered for the role of Linus Caldwell, while Luke and Owen Wilson entered negotiations to portray the Malloy twins. The Wilson brothers ultimately declined the roles due to scheduling conflicts with The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).[5] Other actors reportedly approached for roles included Mike Myers, Bruce Willis, Ewan McGregor, Alan Arkin, and Ralph Fiennes, though all eventually dropped out of the project.[5][7][8] In a 2007 interview, Willis expressed regret over turning down the role of Terry Benedict, citing concerns about the character's incomplete development at the time he reviewed the script.[9]
Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen were briefly considered for the roles of the Malloy twins before Soderbergh cast Scott Caan and Casey Affleck. Mark Wahlberg was originally cast as Linus Caldwell but exited to star in Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes (2001); he was replaced by Matt Damon.[8] Clooney's commitment to Ocean's Eleven led him to decline the lead role in Unfaithful.[10]
Although Don Cheadle played explosives expert Basher Tarr, he was uncredited in the final film.[11] Cheadle later stated that disputes over billing led him to request the removal of his name from the credits. "There was some stuff that happened behind the scenes that I didn't like how it went down," he said. "So I just said, 'Take my name off it.'"[11]
Filming
Principal photography began on February 11, 2001, and concluded on June 7, 2001. The majority of filming took place in Las Vegas, with additional scenes shot in New Jersey, Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida, and Burbank, California.[12] Thanks to producer Jerry Weintraub’s personal relationship with Bellagio owner Kirk Kerkorian, the production was granted permission to film on location at the Bellagio casino. Members of the cast also resided at the hotel during the shoot.[13]
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Music
- "Cha Cha Cha" written by James D'Angelo, Leo Johns, Jimmy Kelleher, Marc Lanjean, Henri Salvador and Marcel Stellman; performed by Jimmy Luxury and The Tommy Rome Orchestra[14]
- "The Projects" (P Jays) written by Dan Nakamura, Paul Huston, Tarin Jones and Trugoy The Dove (as David Jolicoeur); performed by Handsome Boy Modeling School featuring De La Soul (as Trugoy (De La Soul)) and Del (as Del Tha Funkee Homosapien)[14]
- "Papa Loves Mambo" written by Al Hoffman, Dick Manning and Bickley Reichner; performed by Perry Como[14]
- "Take My Breath Away" written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock; performed by Berlin[14]
- "Spirit in the Sky" written and performed by Norman Greenbaum[14]
- "Blues in the Night" written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer; performed by Quincy Jones[14]
- "Caravan" written by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol; performed by Arthur Lyman[14]
- "A Little Less Conversation" written by Billy Strange and Mac Davis; performed by Elvis Presley[14]
- "Gritty Shaker" written and performed by David Holmes[14]
- "Spanish Flea" written by Julius Wechter; performed by Powerpack Orchestra[14]
- "Misty" composed by Erroll Garner; performed by Liberace[14]
- "Dream, Dream, Dream" written by Jimmy McHugh, Jean Pierre Mottier, Mitchell Parish and Jeannine Melle; performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra[14]
- "Moon River" written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer; performed by Liberace[14]
- "Theme From A Summer Place" written by Max Steiner[14]
- "Theme for Young Lovers" written and performed by Percy Faith and His Orchestra[14]
- "69 Police" written by David Holmes, Phil Mossman, Darren Morris, Aldo Tagliapietra, Stanley Walden and Giovanni Smeraldi; performed by David Holmes (remix of the Le Orme song "Ad Gloriam")[14]
- "Clair de Lune" composed for piano solo by Claude Debussy and arranged for orchestra by Lucien Cailliet; performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra; conducted by Eugene Ormandy[14]
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Reception
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Box office
Ocean's Eleven had a production budget of approximately $85 million. It opened in the United States on December 7, 2001, and earned an estimated $38.1 million during its opening weekend, debuting at number one at the domestic box office and displacing Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from the top position.[15] At the time, it set a new record for the highest opening weekend in December, surpassing What Women Want.[16] The record stood for only two weeks before being overtaken by The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.[17]
The film also achieved the largest opening weekend for both Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, surpassing Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Runaway Bride (1999), respectively.[18] For George Clooney, it marked the third-highest domestic opening of his career at the time, trailing only behind Batman & Robin and The Perfect Storm.[18] Ocean’s Eleven went on to gross $183.4 million in the United States and Canada and $267.3 million in international markets, for a worldwide total of $450.7 million.[1] It remained Clooney’s highest-grossing film until the release of Gravity in 2013.[19]
Critical response
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Ocean’s Eleven holds an approval rating of 83% based on 188 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's consensus reads: "As fast-paced, witty, and entertaining as it is star-studded and coolly stylish, Ocean's Eleven offers a well-seasoned serving of popcorn entertainment."[20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of “B+” on an A+ to F scale.[22]
People described the film as "pure fun from start to finish" and included it in its year-end Best of Screen list.[23][24] Newsweek praised its lively tone, writing that Ocean’s Eleven "bounces along with finger-snapping high spirits", and while director Steven Soderbergh had made "deeper films", the magazine noted that "this carefree caper movie is nothing to sneeze at".[25] Time's Richard Corliss offered a dissenting view, stating that the film "doesn't offer much" beyond its surface charm.[26]
In a 2008 reader poll, Empire ranked Ocean’s Eleven as the 500th entry on its list of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.[27] Entertainment Weekly featured the film’s central heist sequence in its end-of-decade “best-of” list, calling it "the most winning robbery sequence of the decade".[28] In 2025, it ranked number 71 on The New York Times' list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" and number 57 on the "Readers' Choice" edition of the list.[29][30]
Don Cheadle's performance as explosives expert Basher Tarr received attention for his use of a Cockney accent, which was widely criticized as inauthentic. In later interviews, Cheadle acknowledged the criticism, stating, "My British friends ... tell me [it's] a truly terrible London accent in Ocean's Thirteen. You know something, I really worked on that accent... Even though everyone laughs at me. So I sacked [my agent], of course."[31][32]
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Accolades
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Home media
Ocean’s Eleven was released on VHS and DVD in Region 1 on May 7, 2002. The home media release included behind-the-scenes featurettes, cast and crew interviews, and commentary tracks by director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Ted Griffin.[41]
Sequels
Director Steven Soderbergh returned to helm two direct sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007), completing what became known as the Ocean's Trilogy. Most of the principal cast from the first film reprised their roles in both follow-ups.
A spin-off, Ocean's 8, featuring an all-female ensemble cast, was released on June 8, 2018.[42] The film was conceived by producer Jerry Weintraub, Soderbergh, and George Clooney. It was directed by Gary Ross, who co-wrote the screenplay with Olivia Milch.[43] The ensemble cast included Sandra Bullock as Debbie Ocean, the sister of Danny Ocean, alongside Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, and Awkwafina.[44][45][46]
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Other adaptations
The Japanese theater company Takarazuka Revue staged a musical adaptation of Ocean’s Eleven between 2011 and 2012, performed by its Star Troupe at the Takarazuka Grand Theater and Tokyo Takarazuka Theater. The production starred Reon Yuzuki as Danny Ocean, Nene Yumesaki as Tess Ocean, and Shio Suzumi as Rusty Ryan.[47]
In India, the 2014 Bollywood heist film Happy New Year drew narrative inspiration from Ocean’s Eleven. Directed by Farah Khan, the film starred Shah Rukh Khan as a charismatic thief who assembles a team to infiltrate a dance competition and rob a vault in Dubai.[48]
See also
References
External links
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