Ben Affleck's Smokin' Aces: Underrated 2007 Crime Thriller to Revisit

Movieweb says Ben Affleck's 20-year-old crime thriller Smokin' Aces is a must-watch after Netflix's new crime thriller The Rip.

Directed by Joe Carnahan, Smokin' Aces assembles a large ensemble including Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Jason Bateman, Peter Berg, Common, Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Andy Garcia, Chris Pine, Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Piven, Matthew Fox, Martin Henderson, Nestor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Tommy Flanagan, Curtis Armstrong and Wayne Newton. The plot follows the FBI's attempt to protect Buddy Israel, a Las Vegas entertainer who snitched on the mob, as a massive bounty draws eccentric paid killers into a claustrophobic hotel showdown; reviews were mixed, but the film packed style and memorable, eccentric personalities and failed to capture the attention it deserved on release.

Affleck plays hitman Jack Dupree alongside Pistol Pete Deeks and Hollis Elmore, and the film contains a surprising on-screen turn by Affleck that Carnahan was reportedly shocked to learn about during production but that remains visible in the finished movie. Like The Rip, Smokin' Aces builds tension toward a finale that lets loose, and audiences who loved The Rip will likely find it an enjoyable follow-up; the film was released January 26, 2007 and runs 108 minutes.

Key Topics

Culture, Smokin' Aces, Ben Affleck, Joe Carnahan, The Rip, Buddy Israel