The movie plays out much like Ocean's 11. Here, Sandra Bullock is Debbie Ocean, sister of Danny. Like her brother at the start of his movie, she's released from prison. She soon meets up with her old partner Lou (Cate Blanchett), and they start planning a heist. Much of the movie is devoted to assembling their crew, and then executing Debbie's plan: stealing a necklace worth $150M, while worn by Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) during the Met Gala.
There are three main reasons to watch the film. First, the characters are a joy to watch. As the crew's leader, Bullock exudes quiet charisma and confidence. Helena Bonham-Carter is pitch-perfect as the neurotic designer; Mindy Kaling plays off perfectly with whoever she's paired with; Awkwafina is hilariously oddball; Sarah Paulson juggles suburban motherhood with hypercompetent criminality; and Anne Hathaway hams it up. Alas, Blanchett isn't given much to do (a waste!), so Debbie and Lou don't have the same dynamic as Danny and Rusty. This is true for Rihanna as well. Still, all the women share an easy camaraderie and are endearing as individuals and as a group.
Second, the soundtrack is great. There are a number of the jazzy/instrumental numbers that will be familiar from the previous Ocean's movies. The remix of "Fugue in D Minor" is particularly enjoyable. Every single track is on point, complementing whatever is happening on screen by heightening the tension or comedy. It's a nice soundtrack to chill to if you're working on your computer.
Third, the outfits are killer. Every single outfit worn by every single character in every single scene slays. Bullock and Blanchett are especially fine figures of womanhood in their tailored suits. And when they all dress up for the gala...? (fans self) Well done, Costume Design, well done!
However, Ocean's 8 has two glaring weaknesses. First, the heist itself requires a pretty big suspension of disbelief and/or complete ignorance of major event planning. That's okay! We're all here to watch a group of women succeed, so yay! Second, as mentioned, the movie could have been funnier, given the cast. There are only a few memorable one-liners (the one that made the theater erupt was uttered by Kaling) and tête-à-têtes. At one point, Debbie has a monologue that's absurdly wonderful and meta, and there should have been more of that.
Oh, well. I shall simply take away the image of Debbie and Lou, standing at a window, staring at [SPOILER] and blowing [SPOILER].
TL; DR: Perfect for a ladies' outing, or if you just appreciate ladies.
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This post brought to you by Manila-like weather! Ahhhhhhhh, humidity!
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