Smokin' Aces (2007) 109 minutes Review

Bottom-Line: As the movie closes one of the characters, banged up and bleeding pleads with another to "Make it make sense."  Too Late!

Written and directed by Joe Carnahan (Narc) Smokin' Aces reaches back into now familiar territory-the Mob-to tell it tale, only this time with a twist at the very end.  Buddy Israel (Jeremy Piven - Ellen, The Larry Sanders Show, Entourage) is a Las Vegas showman gone bad; that is he is attracted more the dark side of the city of perpetual light, than the happy, sunny side.  Now he has turned state's evidence and everyone wants him dead, even his alleged mentor Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin - The Untouchables, Mission Impossible, Alias), and there is a 1 million dollar bounty on his head. 

My Viewpoint

Smokin' Aces is far too typical of the debauchery coming out of Hollywood these days to be even mildly enjoyable.  Each character plays his or clique-riddled part with equal aplomb to be sure, but the plot while it could have been promising, was too full of holes and predictable plot twists to rate as even rainy day recommendations. 

As the movie closes one of the characters, banged up and bleeding pleads with another to "Make it make sense."  Too late, Smokin' Aces despite Ms. Keys looking sexy and ready to be served up is pretty senseless fair.