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As action thrillers go, The Italian Job is first rate. This film unfolds in a predictable but interesting way. We have all of the usual characters, the tough guy (Jason Statham, the smart guy (Mark Wahlberg), the nerd (Seth Green), and the quirky guy (Mos Def). All of whom bring their characters expertise to the plot and have their screen moments ala every team film ever made since Mission Impossible. Edward Norton proved that he can play a character the way it's written and still put his own individual stamp on it. While the characters are interesting, the story and the special effects moments it presents are what drives his film. While I'm sure there is some computer manipulation going on, this film does not make its FX as blatant The Matrix. For me there are only a couple of problems. I couldn't figure out why, Handsome Rob didn't make a hit on Stella (His character would have) , why the characters didn't all freeze to death in the mountain lake (except the movie would have been over in twenty minutes) and I never can figure out why Mark Whalberg keeps getting starring roles.

Choosing the more European type of ending, that does not wrap up all of the conflicts nice and neatly, allows the film goer to imagine the endings that this journey could have. This type of ending would not work in all cases, but just like the recent film "In the Bedroom" respect for the audience allows a skillful, satisfying and yet imginative ending. The director got the best performance out of Richard Gere and Diane Lane was simply wonderful. The script was flawless The casting of their son may have been the only mistake in the film. I kept waiting for Malcom to lock him in the closet.

Which one of us hasn't wondered what happened to our first love, unless of course we are still with them. (Hey this is the 21st Century! Nobody does that anymore.) If we are honest we hope they still pine away for us and we wonder what might have been. This romantic tale of the over-powered Wall Street broker who gets a call from his former girl friend and then is given a "glimpse" of what might have been, is entertaining and fun. Enjoy the tale as Cage is first repulsed by the kids, the messy house, the dull friends, boring job and the lack of the aminities he is used to in his real life. But unfortunately the writer couldn't figure out how to end a really good story. The ending of this story is so contrived and hooky as not to be believed and it took place in the real world not the dream world.