*Note, this article's purpose is not to provide advice for "actual" future heists but strictly to provide humor and slight reality check of fictional cons.
"My wife left me, I was upset, I got into a self-destructive pattern". This bit-like explanation is the very first line that we as viewers witness from the main protagonist, Danny Ocean when closely observing the trailer and deciding if the film is really worth investing the full two hours in. Through the trailer though, the film is pretty enticing. Whether it be from the likeable, experienced cast that's in it or the slits of humor we see in the pretty Las Vegas settings, the trailer does its job.
What makes the overall trilogy of films really amusing and enticing to viewers are their over-developed, over-prepared, almost farcical schemes that somehow end up always being successful in the end. The almost seemingly scatter-brained planning seems to combat the "no-loose ends" mindset and planning of the casino or the other antagonists which is already funny on its own. (*This article may contain spoilers so beware...actually it definitely does contain spoilers)
The Bellagio/The Mirage/MGM Grand
1. Safe Room with Danny Ocean and Bruiser
First of all, what is this? The plan begins when Danny Ocean purposely enters the Bellagio to be seen by Terry Benedict, the casino owner and, I guess, the main antagonist. Once seen, Benedict immediately locks Ocean in a storeroom with this bulky, security guard named "Bruiser".
Unknown to Benedict the jokes on him because Bruiser is actually on Ocean's payroll so when placed in the storeroom, Bruiser allows Ocean to go into the air vents. Also, if you were concerned if other securities were to check the storeroom...don't worry...because Bruiser locks the door and makes fighting noises to make it seem like an interrogation.
* Reality Check: According to an academic journal on JSTOR (special thanks to Nathan D Dail and the class of 1932 for the funds that led me to this article), multiple sketchy hitmen cites, and random inquiries from Wake Forest Undergrads asking me what this is for...the average security guard is paid $23,000. However, since we're looking at some of the most famous casinos, Bruiser would probably be paid upwards to $50,000.
Now it makes sense that Ocean could pay Bruiser off, but seriously nobody else is going to check the storeroom? This according to the movie, is one of the top-ranked casinos in the nation...the most well-known casinos, in reality, are the Pechanga and the Mohegan Sun (debatable but assumed for now) and they have over hundreds of active security guards working a shift. With that, a high-grade criminal whose is now on parole walks into your casino and you just leave him with one security guard in a storeroom, come on Benedict. You deserve to be robbed then.
2. Rusty's Call to Benedict/ Dropping Phone in Tess's Coat
Danny Ocean and Tess, as we can see from the earlier context in the movie, were previously married to each other prior to Danny going to jail. When Danny sees her again after "paying his debt to society", she is with Terry, the casino owner.
Danny an Tess soon see each other at the Bellagio and closely following an intimate moment between each other, Danny drops a cell phone into her coat pocket. That phone then gets to Terry, which is when Rusty makes the friendly gesture of calling him and politely informing him of the 80 million dollars he's losing.
*Reality Check: Now people who watch this movie understand very quickly that there is a lot of love interest in the movie. Danny obviously wants to get back with Tess and fortunately (*spoiler alert) he does by conning Terry into showing his true feelings towards Tess. Now according to JSTOR, burner phones (aka pre-paid) can easily be tracked immediately following a conversation.
Pre-paid phones still use tower data so if one were to cross-reference the phone call to at least two different phone towers, Rusty could easily have been tracked. With the means that Terry has, that would have been very easy for him (guess he didn't check JSTOR).
In the end, "Ocean's 11" is the first of three caper heist films with comedic undertones that are remakes of the 1960 Rat Pack films. Though there are a few other instances where in reality the crew would have probably been caught and prosecuted very early, I personally love the movie.
I think the cast in it is great and I think the overall plot of politely reciprocating cons is great. With that, highly recommend the next two Oceans films too and if you can get enough of the "Comedic Cons", Small Time Crooks featuring Woody Allen seem pretty great too.
