The Italian Job

2003 Action/Adventure

A team of high-class thieves avenge their mentor's death -- with the help of his own daughter -- in this big-budget remake of the 1969 British caper classic. The Italian Job stars Mark Wahlberg as Charlie, the mastermind of a daring Venice heist overseen by John (Donald Sutherland), a lifelong criminal who plans to retire from the fold with the earnings from his most recent take. Basking in the glow of a job well done at a secluded retreat in the Alps, the thieves -- including the aptly-named Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), tech-geek Lyle (Seth Green), and hearing-impaired quipster Left Ear (Mos Def) -- are ruthlessly double-crossed by one of their own, the taciturn, calculating Steve Frezelli (Edward Norton). Time passes and each member of the group finds himself pursuing other opportunities in the States, until Charlie rallies them together for a revenge-motivated scheme designed to bilk Steve of all his misbegotten earnings. In order to cinch the deal, he even enlists John's reluctant safecracking-prodigy daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron), for an elaborate, incognito Los Angeles heist. But the paranoid Steve proves himself to be one step ahead of them at just about every turn, and Charlie finds that he'll have to make some daring last-minute changes to their plan if the team is to succeed. The Italian Job marked director F. Gary Gray's second 2003 release after the Vin Diesel vehicle A Man Apart. more..

Director: F. Gary Gray

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Donald Sutherland, Jason Statham, Seth Green

Reviews

  • Less giddy and more cohesive than the original, the film doesn't waste time, plunging almost directly into a spectacular heist.

    Sheri Linden - The Hollywood Reporter

    27 April 2013

  • The best car commercial ever, an absolute triumph of product placement, and great fun as a movie in the bargain.

    Joe Morgenstern - The Wall Street Journal

    27 April 2013

  • This is just the movie for two hours of mindless escapism on a relatively skilled professional level.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 April 2013

  • This is pure entertainment but smart entertainment, plotted and executed with invention and humor and acted by a winning cast radiating good-movie energy.

    Mick LaSalle - The San Francisco Chronicle

    27 April 2013

  • Norton is unapologetic and unflappable in his part. Slimy and vaguely nerdy, he's become the thinking man's thug, even if this character's Armani-wear is better tailored than his psychology.

    Wesley Morris - The Boston Globe

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Top Box Office Films

    ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards (2004)

  • Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (2004)

     
  • F. Gary Gray

    American Black Film Festival (2004)

  • Best Actor

    BET Awards (2004)

     
  • Film: Best Director

    Black Reel Awards (2004)