Out of Sight (1998)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

The desire for cine-literate, comedic crime thrillers in the wake of Pulp Fiction launched a number of movies in the 1990s, notably Get Shorty (1995), a winning adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel by producer Danny DeVito and screenwriter Scott Frank. Hoping to repeat their success, DeVito and Frank reteamed at Universal to adapt Leonard’s "Out of Sight," about a love affair between a wisecracking bank robber and a tough federal marshal. The film boasted a new creative team that included indie wunderkind director Steven Soderbergh (sex, lies and videotape) and up-and-coming stars George Clooney (“ER”) and singer Jennifer Lopez (memorable in the biopic Selena). Rather than a retread, however, the film is an unusually smart and sexy thriller; a throwback to the polished and efficient Hollywood caper films of yesteryear.

Jack Foley (Clooney) is a suave and clever Miami thief who lands in the pen shortly after the film begins; attempting to escape, he ends up in the trunk of a car pressed against the efficient and alluring officer, Karen Sisco (Lopez). An unexpected romance simmers between them, setting the plot in motion as Jack arranges for one final heist, and Karen attempts to stop him; both willing to follow the promptings of their mutual attraction while attempting to maintain boundaries.

Soderbergh captures the breezy momentum of Leonard’s prose with swift editing and unexpected freeze frames that lend a rhythmic self-awareness to the nimble plot. Its nonlinear path feels effortless, and Leonard’s witty dialogue (supplemented by memorable ad-libs from the cast) provides colorful repartee. The supporting players are uniformly strong, from Albert Brooks’ vulnerable businessman to Michael Keaton’s wry FBI agent (a character he also portrayed in Jackie Brown) to Don Cheadle’s glib killer. Soderbergh’s enticing camerawork and staccato tempo convey his strong grasp of the material, but it’s the powerhouse charm of the two leads that renders the film’s magic. It was Clooney’s breakthrough role—emphasizing his deft command of verbal deliveries as well as physical presence—and Lopez’s coiled sensuality has rarely been put to better use; their onscreen sparks remain a shining example of star chemistry.

—Doug Cummings

Universal Pictures. Producer: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher. Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard. Screenwriter: Scott Frank. Cinematographer: Elliott Davis. Editor: Anne V. Coates. Cast: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks.

35mm, color, 123 min.