Pros: The ever sexy Alicia Keys looking, well, sexy.
Cons: Everything else.
The Bottom Line: As the movie closes one of the characters, banged up and bleeding pleads with another to Make it make sense. Too Late!
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot. I will be the first to admit that Alicia Keys is one of the most beautiful, sexy, and talented women in the entertainment business, but she could have picked a more respectful and challenging role than hit woman Georgia Sykes in the 2006 stinker Smokin’ Aces to make her acting debut. After suffering through this (low-wattage) star-packed spasm of a movie it’s easy to see why its life at the box office was short lived.
The Story-Line
Written and directed by Joe Carnahan (Narc) Smokin’ Aces reaches back into now familiar territory—the Mob—to tell it tale, only this time with a twist at the very end. Buddy Israel (Jeremy Piven - Ellen, The Larry Sanders Show, Entourage) is a Las Vegas showman gone bad; that is he is attracted more the dark side of the city of perpetual light, than the happy, sunny side. Now he has turned state’s evidence and everyone wants him dead, even his alleged mentor Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin – The Untouchables, Mission Impossible, Alias), and there is a 1 million dollar bounty on his head.
So Buddy “Aces” Israel skips town and his bail, and holds up in a Lake Tahoe hotel—in the Presidential suite no less, not exactly incognito. Protected by a pair of bodyguards, Sir Ivy (Common) and Beanie (Christopher Michael Holley), Buddy spends copious amounts of money on, you guessed it, booze, prostitutes, and drugs, all the while negotiating with the FBI for better terms.
Meanwhile, a rather colorful collection of FBI agents, ex-cops turned bail bondsmen, hit-man/women descend on Lake Tahoe in an effort to get to Buddy first. They include, but are not limited to: Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, (the aforementioned) Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Nestor Carbonell, Martin Henderson, and Ryan Reynolds.
My thoughts
Smokin’ Aces is far too typical of the debauchery coming out of Hollywood these days to be even mildly enjoyable. Each character plays his or clique-riddled part with equal aplomb to be sure, but the plot while it could have been promising, was too full of holes and predictable plot twists to rate as even rainy day recommendations.
Ms. Keys looks absolutely adorable in her role as the elegantly dressed (when she is not dressed as a hooker that is) assassin, but here foul mouth was a little hard to take given her alter ego. But it seems a lot of Pop artist are “crossing over” so I had better get used to the theme. Rapper Common does a convincing job as the tough as nails bodyguard, and I have to admit that I would like to see him act in something else; perhaps something with a little more depth next time.
However, there is nothing new here. Smokin’ Aces is all bullets, blood, dead bodies, foul language, and loud sound with little substance undergirding it all. There are just too many characters, too little plot development, and far too much ground already trod upon again and again.
Conclusion
As the movie closes one of the characters, banged up and bleeding pleads with another to “Make it make sense.” Too late, Smokin’ Aces despite Ms. Keys looking sexy and ready to be served up is pretty senseless fair.
Recommended:
No
Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age
