"Smokin' Aces"

Title: "Smokin' Aces"
Director: Joe Carnahan
Producers: T. Bevan and E. Fellner
Editing: Robert Frazen
Composer: Clint Mansell
Starring:
- Jeremy Piven as Buddy "Aces" Israel
- Ryan Reynolds as Richard Messner
- Ray Liotta as Donald Carruthers
- Andy Garcia as Stanley Locke
- Alicia Keys as Georgia Sykes
- Joseph Ruskin as Primo Sparazza
- Taraji P. Henson as Sharice Watters
- Jason Bateman as Ripley "Rip" Reed
- Ben Affleck as Jack Dupree
- Nestor Carbonell as Pasqual "The Plague" Acosta
- Chris Pine as Darwin Tremor
- Kevin Durand as Jeeves Tremor
- Maury Sterling as Lester Tremor

Plot and Critical Review: Las Vegas magician and wannabe gangster Buddy "Aces" Israel is hiding out in a Lake Tahoe hotel penthouse with his entourage, while his agent, Morris Mecklen, discusses a potential immunity deal with FBI Deputy Director Locke. Agents Messner and Carruthers learn that mob boss Primo Sparazza has put a hit out on Israel worth one million dollars, and that the assasination involves a someone only known as the Swede, with the added stipulation that the Swede deliver Israel's heart to Sparazza. A number of assassins are also after the reward, including Lazlo Soot, a Hungarian who specializes in disguises and impersonations; Sharice Watters and Georgia Sykes, a duo of hitwomen hired by Sparazza's underboss; Pasquale Acosta, a torture expert and mercenary; and the psychotic neo-Nazi Tremor brothers.

Locke dispatches Messner and Carruthers to take Israel into custody. A team of bail bondsmen, Jack Dupree and his partners, "Pistol" Pete Deeks and Hollis Elmore, have been hired by the firm that posted Israel's bail. The bondsmen are attacked by the Tremors and only Elmore escapes alive. Messner is dispatched to the murder scene while Caruthers proceeds to secure Israel. Meanwhile, each of the assassins gain access to the hotel in their own various ways.

Carruthers encounters Acosta (now disguised as a casino security officer) in an elevator at the hotel and something is not right. Both are disabled in a gunfight. Meanwhile, Soot gains access to the penthouse by posing as one of Israel's henchmen. Israel's second-in-command, Ivy, learns that Israel agreed to give him up as part of the plea deal, but, before he can kill him, Israel injures Ivy long enough for the hotel security team to restrain him. Georgia stumbles upon Carruthers and Acosta in the elevator, but assumes Acosta is Soot. In Los Angeles, Locke abruptly backs out on the deal with Israel and orders that Messner and Carruthers not be told. The Tremor brothers reach the penthouse floor, where they engage in a shootout with the security team while Israel, learning of the FBI's new position, attempts suicide.

Messner arrives at the hotel and sets up a position around Georgia's elevator. Sharice provides cover from another hotel with a .50-caliber sniper rifle, outgunning the FBI agents. Acosta, still alive, shoots Georgia, but is shot again by Carruthers. Sharice, thinking Georgia is dead, refuses to escape and keeps shooting at the FBI team. Georgia escapes to the penthouse, where she stops Darwin Tremor before he can kill Ivy. Tremor escapes and Messner, distraught over the death of Carruthers, stops Ivy and Georgia on the stairwell, but lets them escape. Sharice is gunned down by the FBI.

Locke and a team of FBI agents descend on the penthouse and take Israel to the hospital, while Soot escapes by tearing off his disguise and posing as a bystander. Acosta, carted away on a gurney, is also shown to be alive. Darwin Tremor tries to escape, but is gunned down by Hollis Elmore.

Messner arrives at the hospital and learns the truth about the day's events from Locke. The mysterious Swede is revealed to be a prominent heart surgeon and Soot was hired by Sparazza to get Israel's heart so it could be transplanted into the body of Sparazza. Sparazza is further revealed to be Freeman Heller, an FBI agent who went undercover and was thought to have been killed by the mob. Sparazza has agreed to expose the mob's operations in exchange for Israel's heart, who is shown to be Sparazza's love child and, thus, the most compatible donor.

Messner, furious over the unnecessary deaths, especially the death of his partner, protests and is ordered to leave the hospital. Left alone, he walks into the emergency room where Israel and Sparazza lie in comas. Messner locks the doors and unplugs all of the medical equipment sustaining both men. He then lays his gun and badge on the floor and sits in disbelief as Locke and the doctors desperately try to break in.

While it was supported by a noteworthy cast of actors, "Smokin' Aces" failed to generate the acclaim the director and producers were hoping for. It was able to break even at the box office, but mostly through international sales. While some of the fight scenes prove exciting, the smash-cut editing and multiple story lines ends up becoming a distraction. The viewer is surprised to finish the movie with a clear idea of what actually happened, much less who ended up doing what, and to who. Don't buy this one, but go out this very instant and pick up Scorsese's classic, "The Departed".

My Rating: 4/10

Content to Caution:
V-5 - Almost non-stop violence of the most intense sort.
L-5 - Heavy cursing and coarse language throughout.
DU-2 - Some drinking and smoking.
RT-2.5 - Three of the characters dress and act as neo-Nazis, and there is a strong amount of racist behavior from one female character.
H/S-2 - No comment.
CH-2.5 - No comment.
S/N-2.5 - Several shots of multiple prostitutes, some naked. Several jokes made in reference to sex. Homosexual sex is suggested, but not shown.

The "Reel Revelation": "Secrets"

I like to start off these reflections with a question that introduces the theme. The most natural one given the topic at hand is simply, "Have you ever kept a secret?" But I won't bother actually posing that query as I already know your answer; yes. I don't presume to see into all of your hearts or know your personal histories, but I do know that all people have kept some sort of secret at some point. Maybe it was something small, like not telling your parents you took a piece of gum from the candy store. Maybe it was something significant like not telling your spouse you lost your job. And then there's the classic encounter we've probably all had with our friends. They rush up and softly whisper in our ear, "Can you keep a secret?" How exciting!

How do you feel when you know something that no one else does? More importantly, how do you feel when you know something that's actually important to someone else, but they don't know what it is?! Perhaps you're nervous that you might accidentally "spill the beans" or "let the cat out of the bag" and, in a slip, give the secret away. Maybe you feel ashamed that you're keeping important information from a friend or family member. Maybe you feel powerful when you realize that you retain a piece of knowledge or information that someone else is searching for. And how you feel in that moment is important as we take a closer look at what it means to keep secrets.

In "Smokin' Aces", a very mysterious secret is kept from all of the characters in the film until the third act; the end of the film. Do you remember what the secret was? That Primo Spazarra was Agent Freeman Heller all along. Heller had managed to keep his true identity a secret for 40+ years before a file finally surfaced that led Deputy Director Locke to the truth. And as soon as the truth was made known, the entire course of the story changed direction, especially as all the key players realized the true connection between Sparazzo and Buddy Israel. The truth has a way of doing that; undoing all of the foundations we've built upon faulty premise and assumption. The Greek playwright, Sophocles, said it in a way I think we can all appreciate: "Do nothing secretly, for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all." A challengingly true sentiment.

For some reason, keeping secrets isn't thought of as being an inappropriate or necessarily harmful. After all, if Sophocles is right and the truth will be known in the end, isn't it acceptable to withhold the truth in certain circumstances? Therein, I believe, is the real dilemma; withholding the truth. I wouldn't bother bringing up the issue of secrets in general if the realities of human experience didn't reflect this foundational principle: we need the truth to survive. And there's no better example of someone who choose to reveal the truth (instead of hiding it) than the example we find in Jesus.

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My ways, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)

Likewise,

"I have not spoken in secret,
In some dark land;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
'Seek Me in a waste place';
I, the Lord, speak righteousness,

Declaring things that are upright." (Isaiah 45: 19)

When Jesus came into the world, He did so to bring us the good news of God's salvation for all people. Out of His great love for the whole of humanity, He spoke to us in ways we could understand, so that we might be able to grasp the nearness and tender mercy of God. Sometimes the words He spoke were challenging, but the truth of His message set people free to follow after God. His words set people free... Do you set people free with your words? Do you "continue in (His) ways..." by the words you speak to others; by the way you proclaim truth to those around you?

The Bible is frustratingly silent when we look to answer the question, "Is it sinful to keep secrets?" But, based on the verses above, we should be able to see where the Scriptures stand when it comes to the declaration of the truth. And what does this mean in the day-to-day walk of faith? Here are three suggestions:

1) Say what you mean to say, and say it with love! - If you hope to represent God's Promise in the world, are you willing to represent the truth of your own mind as well? Don't be afraid to speak plainly of how you feel, what you think, and what your opinions are. But learn to temper your tongue and "...speak the truth in love..." (Ephesians. 4:15), so that even your opinions (whatever they may be) are communicated in a way that is kind, gentle, and not abrasive to the way others might feel. Paul admonishes us to "speak the truth in love" in order that we would edify, encourage, challenge, and uplift one another as we mature in our faith. Bind your tongue from cursing, but loosen your heart to be the first to speak the loving word.

2) Learn to be still and silent. - Remember, "...not all things are profitable" (1 Cor. 6:12), and that means (among other things) that our words won't always be appropriate. Have you ever heard someone say the right thing in the wrong moment? But when words fail we are still able to "speak the truth" through our actions. Ask the Holy Spirit to quiet your heart as you go about your daily routine; that you might know exactly what to say or what to do when God calls you to speak the truth in your home, workplace, and community. Sometimes the most important words are the ones we don't speak through our lips.

3) Speak into the mirror. - It's easy to become so focused on spreading the word of God's truth that we forget to speak it into our own lives. Have you ever worked so hard that you actually wore yourself out to the point where you couldn't work anymore? What good were you then? We are called to be ambassadors of God's truth in the world, but we cannot allow ourselves to turn entirely outward; we are in need of the same message of hope, love, and forgiveness. Have you ever spent so much time praying for other people you forgot to pray for yourself? Look into the mirror (literally, if that's what it takes) and remind yourself, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5: 7-8) Remember, as well,

"He who walks with integrity, and works with righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend..." (Psalm 15: 2-3)

See you tomorrow - E.T.