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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Thrillers work on keeping the audience on the edge of your seat. This film isn’t a thriller. Character studies work by examining individuals and relationships, bringing truths and secrets out, and making resolutions. This isn’t a character study. In fact, I’m not sure what it is. I know what it wants to be, but it just doesn’t know how to get there.
