Never Seen It! Sunday: The Italian Job

You know when someone asks if you’ve seen their favorite movie and say you seen “parts of it” because you don’t want to seem like a total pop culture pariah? Yeah, we do too—and we hate ourselves for it! That’s why every other week, we’ve vowed to watch at least one movie we’ve put off, ignored, rejected or just plain-out forgotten about. Join us as recount the popping of our cinematic cherries, complete with awkward, over-analytical details!

THE ITALIAN JOB (2003)
DATE RELEASED: May 30, 2003
DATE WATCHED: January 3, 2012
WHY NOW? Over my winter break, I watched a bunch of movies I'd always wanted to see. But The Italian Job wasn't on the list until my sister brought it up. So, I watched the trailer. It looked good. And not just good for an action movie. I mean really good.
WHY NOT THEN? For the most part, I wasn't into action movies. Truthfully, I'm still not really (unless it's Tarantino) but I give them a chance. The Italian Job wasn't even on my radar. I'd heard of it. I knew they'd named a ride after it at then-Paramount Canada's Wonderland (now the Backlot Stunt Coaster, as you ride in Mini Coopers through a tunnel. Lame!). But I don't even like roller coasters.
EXPECTATIONS: (pre-trailer viewing)

• Too much action, and like I said, I don't like action. It's mostly the pace that throws me off, too much going on at once. Or conversely, too little going on and sharp, jolted shots trying to make up for it.
• Little dialogue, a common action stereotype.
• A "guy" movie. OK, don't get me wrong, I love Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Superbad, and whole lot of other stereotypically "guy" movies. But for some reason (I think it's the timing my life, when guys and girls in my view were still so different), the masculinity of this movie just made me feel it wasn't for me.
• Mark Wahlberg as his usual tough guy with a warped sense of righteousness.
• Statham as his usual tight-lipped, I-think-I'm-so-cool tough guy.
• Norton as his usual top notch performance.

WHAT I ACTUALLY GOT...

• A very clever (albeit unbelievable) story with thoughtful dialog and some hilarious one-liners. Without Mos Def and Seth Green, I could not have loved this movie as much.
• Great pacing where every shot counts. I was convinced during the first chase scene, cutting between palpable suspense and intense adrenaline.
• Mark Wahlberg as his usual tough guy with a warped sense of righteousness. But fittingly so. At par with his role in I Heart Huckabees? Maybe not.
• Statham as his usual tight-lipped, I-think-I'm-so-cool tough guy. He's so typecast, but seemingly happy with it.
• Norton as his usual top notch performance.
• The realization that I need to give more action movies a chance. Of course, I'm not still plagued by my young teenage stereotyping (though you have to admit, some movies are "guy" movies), I still sometimes brush off actions movies. And end up missing movies like this one.

ONE NIGHT-IN STAND OR SECOND DATE POTENTIAL?
This one is an action favourite, hands down. Needless to say, I'm adding it to the collection.