Out of Sight

Rating: ***
Date Seen: 1998-07-01

Out of Sight, at its heart, is a tragic love story. George Cloony plays Jack Foley, a bankrobber by trade who ends up doing time as a repeat offender. Jennifer Lopez is Keren Sisco, a federal marshall who, by pure chance, finds herself in the middle of Jack's attempt to escape from prison. After spending a few minutes riding together in the trunk of a car, they each discover a strong attraction to the other. But cruel, merciless circumstance will not allow this romance to flourish.

The format and style of this film obviously draw from a heavy Tarantino influence, but this is by no means a Pulp Fiction copycat. What I like most about the movie is that the screenplay writers resist the temptation to make Jack and Karen go out of character by falling so madly in love with each other that they forget their families, friends, and careers. No, in this movie, they remain painfully believable, as each one continues with his/her life while harboring an unsuppressable affection for the other.

While the covert relationship of Jack and Karen provides the primary plot line, there is also plenty of action, suspence and humor in this movie. It has a strong supporting cast, with Ving Rhames as Buddy, Jack's partner in crime, and Steve Zahn providing hilarious comic relief as the stoned out Glenn. So, in closing, I would definitely recommend Out of Sight to anyone wanting a good evening of entertainment.