Smokin' Aces (2006)

Director:

Joe Carnahan

Writer (WGA):

Joe Carnahan (written by)

Release Date:

26 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

May the best hitman win.

Plot:

When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel (Piven) decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.

Plot Keywords:

Night Club | Gun In Mouth | Casino | Male Nudity | Lift Shooting

Awards:

4 wins

US TV Schedule:

Wed. May 21	2:05 AM	HBO
Wed. May 28	10:15 PM	HBO

Cast

Ryan Reynolds	...	Richard Messner
Ray Liotta	...	Donald Carruthers
Joseph Ruskin	...	Primo Sparazza
Alex Rocco	...	Serna
Wayne Newton	...	Himself
Jeremy Piven	...	Buddy Israel
Ben Affleck	...	Jack Dupree
Peter Berg	...	"Pistol" Pete Deeks
Martin Henderson	...	Hollis Elmore
Common	...	Sir Ivy
Christopher Michael Holley	...	Beanie (as Christopher Holley)
Andy Garcia	...	Stanley Locke
Mike Falkow	...	Freeman Heller
Joe Drago	...	FBI Aid
Jeff Habberstad	...	Top Coated Gunman

Also Known As:

Mi$e à prix (France)

Runtime:

109 min | USA:108 min

Country:

UK | France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | New Zealand:R18 | USA:R (certificate #41676) | Sweden:15 | Denmark:15 | France:-12 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Germany:16 | Japan:R-15 | Singapore:M18 | Italy:VM14 | Ireland:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | South Africa:16LV | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:18 | Finland:K-18 | Netherlands:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | UK:18 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Lake Tahoe, California, USA

Company:

Working Title Films

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Joe Carnahan]When Jack Dupree is talking about Buddy Israel it shows a bank robbery going on. For a split second you see a man with a beard and sunglasses leaning his back on a truck yelling out and holding a machine gun. This is Carnahan.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the hit man is disguised as Hugo and is placing his collection of tools on the bench, the order changes.

Quotes:

Buddy 'Aces' Israel: These flowers are wilted, I need you to call the florist.

Movie Connections:

References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Soundtrack:

Segura o Sambura

Welcome to the magic show

Smokin' Aces was most certainly a bit of a magic show within itself, in that while you watched the evident plot go one way, you didn't notice the actual plot until BAM! it came out of nowhere. It wasn't the most coherent of plots sometimes, but for the most part it all wraps up in the end.

As far as greatness goes, this won't be up there winning awards. Rather, it might be remembered fondly as "that cool movie I saw a while ago." Good drama, good action. Ryan Reynolds breaks out in a truly serious and compelling role.

Definitely a movie worth viewing.