SUMMER REWATCH: Out of Sight Discussion

It's Monday in Oz let's get this party started.

So I'm watching this film and some details I never noticed before are starting to pop out.

1.  Nicorette gum - Jennifer Lopez's character is trying to open a package of the gum right before the prison break.  Was that a product placement deal?  Was it something in the plot that I had missed before? Was Jennifer trying to quit smoking during the filming and they decided to write her gum chewing into the script?  But then later, I don't see her chewing gum so did she quit smoking?

2.  George's hair cut and style.  Yes, it was some years back but the style looks like those higher cut styles that men used to wear - but it reminded me of hair worn in the 50s not so much the 90s.

3.  The suit he wears during the opening credits.  Was the lining inside red?  It looked that way today and I never noticed that before.

4.  Why were two of his fingers bandaged?  Was that part of the plot or did he happen to bang up his hands during filming and they left his bandaged fingers in?

5.  I'm really enjoying the writing and George's acting - he does "slightly stupid" well.   For instance when he's in the trunk with Jennifer and she mentions Clyde Barrow.  George waits a long beat with a look on his face like he's trying to process something and then says, "Bonnie and Clyde" like he's had an epiphany and it cracked me up!  And Jennifer's look was totally a look as if to say "Wow, how stupid are you?"

So that's as far as I've gotten but I do remember Viola Davis is in this film and was barely used yet years later she's nominated for Academy Awards and accepting Golden Globes and Screen Actor's Guild awards.  And one aside -- she will be starring in a new television show on ABC this fall on Thursday nights in another Shonda Rhimes production.  It's called How to Get Away with Murder.

I'm sure I'll have more questions later but wanted to get these down before my senile mind kicks in and I forget them!

Hmmmm enjoyed reading your questions . I read the trunk scene as he was taken with her but I agree he does play the slightly daffy guy well .

This will be fun to watch again. So many top actors and well-known personalities in small roles. Viola Davis, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Katherine Keener. Bittersweet to watch Dennis Farina...

Can't you picture George and Jennifer texting each other... "Hey. Guess what? It's on again. It's at the bathtub scene. Know what? I didn't really need to do that many takes."

Way2Old4Dis wrote:This will be fun to watch again. So many top actors and well-known personalities in small roles. Viola Davis, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Katherine Keener. Bittersweet to watch Dennis Farina...

Can't you picture George and Jennifer texting each other... "Hey. Guess what? It's on again. It's at the bathtub scene. Know what? I didn't really need to do that many takes."

Oh I don't know, I could do that scene over and over and over. Just keep the tub water warm and I'm IN!

I was fascinated by the snow outside of the window in her hotel. Both in the bar and her room. How did they do that? The background city lights were bright and yet the snow was illuminated also. Very lovely shots in those scenes.

Funny Lorna. i watched the movie this afternoon and your questions 1,3 and 4 I didn't notice ...I guess I have to watch it again????? hehe

The snow outside the window looked great but so fake as each snow flake looked the same size......

I love the bath tube scene    and at the end when they jump into bed and undress before. The faces look too funny  

You know they should have done Part 2 with this movie   ...they made the ending open for a new movie don't you think?  So sad it is not going to happen...

Oh I don't know, I could do that scene over and over and over. Just keep the tub water warm and I'm IN!

Yeah, that's what I meant. They'd be teasing each other about doing unnecessary takes just to keep doing that sexy scene.

I would have flubbed my lines a time or two. Or grabbed something that wasn't called for in the script.

Me: Okay, then I'm supposed to grab your wrist like this...

George: That's not my wrist. But thank you.

HA!

Michael Keaton was so funny as her boyfriend .

I think having the "two" Batmen in the film was funny too.

There are some very witty lines in this film.

When Michael Keaton comes to visit Jennifer at her dad's house.  He's wearing a t-shirt that says FBI.  Dennis Farina asks:  

"Hey Ray, you ever wear one that says 'undercover'"?

And then some other lines like when Don Cheadle is in the car with "Studs" discussing how he's no longer called Snoopy and how he's branched out into things other than boxing.  

Maurice "Snoopy" Miller: I've, uh, vertically integrated myself. You know, diversified and shit, and now I'm into the occasional grand larceny, home invasion... shit like that.

Haven't had a chance to rewatch this yet, but I don't have to to know the scene in her hotel room is one of the sexiest love scenes in movie history! The way it was cut and edited was brilliant, beautiful and hot at the same time. It impressed me even more when I read that George and JLo didn't particularly like each other. If that was true, that was really some great acting! (The car trunk scene and the tub are great, too.)

There was so much about this movie that I liked, I can't wait to see it again - maybe tonight.

The tub scene . Ma ma Mia . George in that deco tub.

Ok amaretti - I'm picturing you fanning yourself.

Hot stuff indeed! :-)

When the movie was first released, George, Jennifer, and Steve Zahn all appeared together on Rosie O'Donnell's talk show.  Jennifer told the story of how she wasn't actually supposed to get into the tub with him, it sort of just happened.  Which really displeased the wardrobe person, since Jen was wearing an expensive Armani suit at the time.  Who can blame her for getting carried away, really? 

Well she COULD have taken the suit off but really why waste time!  HA!

This film was so interesting to me because of Soderberg's cuts.  And I liked the use of the Detroit based music.  

This film was based on a book, correct?  So was the book set in Detroit?  I never did check on that.

And even though there was violence in this film it was not overtly so.  I mean we see the aftermath of the one "murder" where they used an ax (Don Cheadle is in the foreground spraypainting the wall - but of course it was glass as we're looking at the scene as if from the wall) and you can see the guy in the background hacking away, but you don't actually "see" the gore - just the red paint as a representation of it.  Later when Jennifer and the police officer are on the scene there are long shots of the dead bodies, but no closeups to gore.  (Which frankly, I appreciated).

Then there is the scene where the guy shoots himself as he's running up the steps  in the mansion, towards George.  In one respect it's shocking but then also in another funny.   (I think George's expression right after the guy shoots himself is what makes it funny).

Another question I have - is there any significance to George flipping a cigarette ligher open and shut in some of the scenes?  As I said in my first post, Jennifer was shown trying to eat some Nicorette gum in one early scene and George carries a lighter, but you never see either of them smoking. Just wondered if there is more nuance to that than we know.

I believe Soderbergh noticed George doing that trick with the lighter the first time they met, and worked it into the script.  That's the story I remember hearing, anyway.

He used the lighter trick in other movies, too. Might be a nervous habit or a way to focus.

G character had to smoke

but he didn't want to

so...

It's been a long time since I read the book, but I remember the movie being fairly true to it (except the ending was, um, bloodier). Jack Foley (George) had been a smoker, but wasn't any more. I don't remember it being a point with Karen Sisco (JLo). I'll have to go back and check. But in a later book with the Foley character, he spends a lot of time sitting around drinking and smoking with the other "bad" guy.

Thanks for all the responses.  It's been interesting going back and looking at these films in hindsight!

Sorry, no analysis from me on this film...too busy wiping up the drool. Just one word for George in it: YUMMY!!!  

This film reminded me of how many actors choose to work with him over and over again. Aside from Brad and Matt, there's Don Cheadle, Bill Murray, John Goodman Mark Wahlberg, director Soderbergh and lots of others. He must be doing something right!

I have no analysis either, need to compose myself and I watched it 12 hours ago!! That bedroom scene, oh my George!!

Will get back to you with a more professional critique when able to focus

Just finished rewatching - I LOVE THIS MOVIE!! I had forgotten so much - like how scary Don Cheadle's character was and how funny Steve Zahn was. Every character was real and believable. The casting of the film was brilliant. Everyone was at the top of their game. I don't understand why it wasn't a massive hit.

Am I the only one who thought the background music sounded a lot like the music from the "Oceans" films?

PS The scene in the trunk took two days and 44 takes. They did 35 takes the first day. When he told them they'd have to shoot again Soderbergh wasn't sure George and Jlo would come back - but of course they did.

LizzyNY wrote:Just finished rewatching - I LOVE THIS MOVIE!! I had forgotten so much - like how scary Don Cheadle's character was and how funny Steve Zahn was. Every character was real and believable. The casting of the film was brilliant. Everyone was at the top of their game. I don't understand why it wasn't a massive hit.

Am I the only one who thought the background music sounded a lot like the music from the "Oceans" films?

PS The scene in the trunk took two days and 44 takes. They did 35 takes the first day. When he told them they'd have to shoot again Soderbergh wasn't sure George and Jlo would  come back - but of course they did.

Hey I'd spend two days in a trunk with George!

Good I will take the bath tub . He he heree  

Ahem....did anyone actually notice this.??   


"In the hotel room, when Jack and Karen are together, the bed sheets go from green to white to green again."

 Joanna - With all that eye candy burning up the screen, you noticed the SHEETS?!!!!   

(To be fair, I did notice that when she woke up in the morning the sheets were green. It bothered me, but I didn't know why. Now I do. I guess when George was on screen I wasn't focused on the sheeets!)

LizzyNY wrote: Joanna -  With all that eye candy burning up the screen, you noticed the SHEETS?!!!!    

(To be fair, I did notice that when she woke up in the morning the sheets were green. It bothered me, but I didn't know why. Now I do. I guess when George was on screen I wasn't focused on the sheeets!)

Oh no.... I didn't notice either.....I found it in the trivia list
for the film !!

It was the most interesting item, amongst many. 

Joanna - Glad to know you've got your priorities straight! You had me worried there for a minute.