Smokin’ Aces
- Title: Smokin’ Aces
- IMDb: link
Smokin’ Aces wasn’t the total disaster I was dreading, but it is certainly far from the fun thrill ride I’d been overly hopeful for. The pace and look of the film work, so does the cast, but when you rely on plot points that would look silly in the most amateurish comic book by depicting them as true in a real world setting, well that’s a problem – a big one. It’s not a complete waste of time, the film has a pace and energy that serves it well, but it’s far too flawed for my tastes.
Buddy “Aces” Isreal (Jeremy Piven) is a magician and wannabe gangster who has slowly managed to weasel himself into the uper echelon of the last great mob family. As the head of the crime syndicate (Joseph Rushkin) begins fade in his old age he puts out word he wants Israel’s heart. A million dollar hit is put out on the magician who then contemplates giving up everything and becoming a snitch to the F.B.I., if he can live long enough.
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Just Friends is less about the love story between Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart’s characters than about creating situations for Reynolds to deliver sarcastic jokes in his understated style. It’s a good thing Reynolds is so good at playing the role as the love story falls flatter than a Disney edited Lindsay Lohan. 
Is Waiting… great cinema? Well no, but it’s damn funny. A perfect vehicle for Ryan Reynolds, with some wonderful supporting performances, in much the same vein of his title role in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder. A nice little comedy that’s well worth checking out.