The Italian Job

111 minutes

The Rewatchables episode

aired August 11, 2026

host Bill Simmons host Chris Ryan host Van Lathan producer Craig Horlbeck producer Chia Hao Tat producer Eduardo Ocampo producer Matt Pevic

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

The film supercharged the later Fast & Furious series.

The crew structure, locations, driving stunts, villain, and found-family ending are cited as shared DNA.

In the discussion (1)

The later Fast & Furious films are argued to borrow the crew structure, location changes, driving stunts, villain, and personal bonds.

Steven Seagal shitting on himself award for most unbelievable anecdote from the actual film shoot

Edward Norton was compelled to honor his Paramount deal.

The contract dispute, reduced payday, threatened lawsuit, and professional set conduct are retained as reported history.

In the discussion (3)

A two-movie Paramount obligation after Primal Fear is reported as the origin of the dispute.
Paramount reportedly paid one million dollars while his market quote had risen to ten million.
A threatened lawsuit reportedly led him to perform, though his work on set was described as professional.

Roger Ebert's review

Three stars; a slick caper with stupendous chases.

Ebert calls it mindless escapism and contrasts it favorably with The Brown Bunny.

In the discussion (2)

The review gives three stars and praises the caper construction, chase scenes, and gold theft.
The review says it would have inspired gratitude after The Brown Bunny.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Opening Venice heist and escape.

Other proposals include the double cross, cable repair, date confrontation, final chase, crew assembly, and Skinny Pete introduction.

In the discussion (9)

Charlize talking to her dad by phone is proposed.
The Venice safe heist and speedboat chase are grouped as a major choice.
The double cross is proposed.
The cable-repair infiltration is proposed.
The date and confrontation with Steve are proposed.
The Hollywood Boulevard, subway, river, and helicopter chase is proposed.
Putting the crew together and explaining their backstories is proposed.
The driving-rain introduction of Skinny Pete is proposed.
The opening Venice sequence is the final consensus choice.

The most "year the movie came out" thing

Lyle claiming he invented Napster.

Hacker jargon, Shawn Fanning’s cameo, revitalized Hollywood Boulevard, and Seth Green’s prominence are also period markers.

In the discussion (4)

Lyle claiming he invented Napster is the clear answer.
Unchallenged hacker mumbo-jumbo is identified as a fading early-2000s convention.
Hollywood Boulevard appearing lively is proposed.
Seth Green having an important role is proposed.

Gandolfini Butter on My Ass So It Pops in My Mouth Award

Crew-introduction montages; gold bars; fake cable repair; traffic-light manipulation.

Four repeatable caper pleasures are retained.

In the discussion (4)

Explaining each crew member and origin is proposed. — Chris Ryan
Gold bars and their untraceability are proposed.
The fake cable repair used for surveillance is proposed.
Manipulating stoplights and accurate Los Angeles traffic geography are proposed.

What’s Aged the Best?

Real vehicles and chases; Mini Coopers; cast driving; Los Angeles locations.

The Korean driving range, Samoan crew, and shopkeeper’s financial-crisis prediction are also retained.

In the discussion (6)

The one-last-job setup and Los Angeles River action are proposed.
Early-2000s Mini Coopers are proposed.
The cast doing its own driving is praised; Charlize is reported best and Mos Def worst.
Real vehicles doing real chases in real places is proposed.
The Korean driving range and Samoan crew are proposed.
The shopkeeper predicting financial collapse is selected as the winner.

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Body surfacing; Venice pan into the house.

Two shots are proposed.

In the discussion (2)

Donald Sutherland’s body surfacing is proposed.
The pan over Venice and down into the house is proposed.

Chest Rockwell / Brock Landers Award for Best Character Name

Handsome Rob; Skinny Pete; Left Ear.

Handsome Rob and Skinny Pete receive explicit choices.

In the discussion (3)

Left Ear is proposed.
Handsome Rob is selected.
Skinny Pete is selected.

The Slow Ride / Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness Award for Best Needle Drop

California Soul; driving techno.

California Soul is the named song choice, with the driving music also praised.

In the discussion (2)

California Soul is selected.
The radio-like techno during driving is also proposed.

Is There a Better Title for This Movie?

The L.A. Job or The Hollywood Job.

The movie does say the released title phrase.

In the discussion (2)

The L.A. Job is proposed.
The Hollywood Job is proposed.

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

The heist economics and small take.

The panel questions costs, division of $27 million, collateral damage, lack of police, and why the gold was not worth closer to $100 million.

In the discussion (3)

The crew may clear only a few million after financing both heists.
The $27 million take is judged too small for the risk and Hollywood Boulevard damage.
The gold is argued to need a value around $100 million.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Money song; unearned romance; Napster stalking; Stella’s plan; Statham’s hair.

The sparse basketball scene is handled separately as a sports category.

In the discussion (5)

The repeated money song is criticized.
The final Wahlberg-Theron romance is judged unearned.
Lyle cyberstalking his former girlfriend is proposed.
Stella announcing her father’s catchphrase during the setup is challenged.
Jason Statham’s hair is proposed, followed by discussion of later hair-transplant fashion.

Did This Movie Need a Random Sports Scene?

Yes: the brief basketball scene.

Statham’s defense and checking the ball are criticized; Wahlberg’s shot is treated as a demanded showcase.

In the discussion (2)

The basketball scene is criticized for Jason Statham’s defense and unfamiliarity with checking the ball.
Mark Wahlberg is argued to have shoehorned in the shot to display his basketball ability.

The Den of Thieves Benihana Award for Scene-Stealing Location

Venice.

Venice is selected directly.

In the discussion (1)

Venice is selected as the scene-stealing location.

Hans Gruber Scale Villain Ranking

Steve: five or six out of ten.

The detached performance is judged mid-scale but perversely enjoyable.

In the discussion (2)

Steve receives a five and a six on the villain scale.
The actor’s detachment is said to work for the character.

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

No selection.

The panel does not identify an overacting winner.

In the discussion (1)

No one is selected for overacting.

Is There a Porn Parody of This Movie?

No existing parody found; The Italian Jobs is pitched.

The elaborate proposed story is retained as a hypothetical, not an existing work.

In the discussion (2)

No existing porn parody is reported. — Van Lathan
The Italian Jobs is proposed as the title for an elaborate original parody. — Van Lathan

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Modern action logic makes the crew’s refusal to shoot Steve hard to accept; Charlize Theron mirrors Halle Berry.

Both takes are retained separately.

In the discussion (2)

John Wick-era action logic makes the refusal to shoot Steve difficult to accept.
Charlize Theron is proposed as a career and cultural mirror of Halle Berry.

Van Lathan Award for Did This Movie Need More Black People?

Yes: add Steve’s Black sidekick/bodyguard and more Black Los Angeles culture.

Alternatives include recasting the hacker and adding a club or concert set piece.

In the discussion (4)

Steve is proposed to have a Black sidekick or bodyguard.
The hacker could have been played by a Black actor.
More Black women and young local actors are proposed.
A club or concert sequence tied to 2003 Los Angeles culture is proposed.

Casting What-Ifs

Mark Wahlberg left S.W.A.T.; Giovanni Ribisi was considered for Lyle.

Both are reported casting facts.

In the discussion (2)

Mark Wahlberg is reported to have left S.W.A.T. to make this film.
Giovanni Ribisi is reported as intended for the Seth Green part before a conflict.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Skinny Pete; Scott Adsit; Boris Krutonog; Oscar Nuñez.

Multiple supporting performers are proposed.

In the discussion (4)

Skinny Pete is proposed.
Scott Adsit as the actor rehearsing in traffic is proposed.
Boris Krutonog as Yevin is proposed.
Oscar from The Office as the security guard is proposed.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Shawn Fanning; Donald Sutherland; Skinny Pete.

Shawn Fanning’s cameo receives the strongest enthusiastic response.

In the discussion (2)

Donald Sutherland and Skinny Pete are proposed.
Shawn Fanning is selected as an inspired cameo choice.

Recasting Couch

Replace Philadelphia; consider Leonardo DiCaprio for Charlie.

Boston or Chicago are discussed as cities; Damon and Affleck are raised before the DiCaprio case.

In the discussion (3)

Philadelphia is targeted for replacement, with Boston and Chicago proposed.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are briefly considered for Charlie.
Leonardo DiCaprio is the sustained recasting proposal.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Put the Venice heist last.

The planned house heist is also preferred over the actual finale.

In the discussion (2)

The Venice heist is argued to be the coolest and should have been the finale. — Craig Horlbeck
The abandoned house plan is also preferred to the final heist. — Craig Horlbeck

Half-Assed Internet Research

Norton dispute, stunts, and Mini Cooper production details.

Those are the stated research areas.

In the discussion (1)

The Norton history, stunts, and extensive Mini Cooper material are the research topics.

Apex Mountain

Mini Coopers; possibly Seth Green; Hollywood around 2003.

Venice scenes are raised; most cast members are rejected.

In the discussion (3)

Mini Coopers are selected for Apex Mountain.
Seth Green is proposed, with Austin Powers as the alternative.
Hollywood around 2003 is proposed as a local peak.

Cruise or Hanks?

Tom Cruise, potentially as Steve.

Cruise is favored over Hanks and imagined in Norton’s role.

In the discussion (2)

Tom Cruise is selected.
Cruise is proposed for Steve and expected to try harder.

Picking Nits

Cable-repair disguise; truck identification; exact road blast; border celebration; bullets, cold water, and absent police.

The heist mechanics receive several separate objections and one correction.

In the discussion (7)

Stella posing as cable repair is called ludicrous.
Identifying the correct truck from tire size is challenged.
Blowing the exact road square under the correct truck is challenged.
Celebrating beside a one-lane border road after stealing gold is challenged.
Bullets traveling through water at full speed are challenged.
The transcript correction addresses the bullet objection but says the cold water and shared air would still kill the crew. — Chris Ryan
The absence of police is challenged.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Six sequels; a Donald Sutherland prequel; Stella Bridger series; all-Black heist film.

The unmade Brazilian Job and audience bias around Black heist crews are discussed.

In the discussion (3)

Multiple location-based sequels are requested.
A Donald Sutherland prequel and Stella Bridger safecracker series are proposed.
An all-Black heist film prompts discussion of unequal audience perceptions of criminal ingenuity.

Is This Movie Better With…?

Derek from American History X.

The proposed addition is performed as a Mini Cooper challenge scene.

In the discussion (1)

Derek from American History X is proposed and inserted into a hypothetical Mini Cooper challenge.

Just One Oscar

Stunts.

A stunt or stunt-driver Oscar is selected.

In the discussion (1)

Stunts are selected for the single Oscar. — Craig Horlbeck

Probably Unanswerable Questions

How do they escape the damage and pursuit? Is anyone better than the Ocean’s Eleven counterpart?

Handsome Rob is the only crew member judged capable of joining Danny Ocean’s crew.

In the discussion (3)

The panel asks how they avoid pursuit after causing enormous damage.
The panel asks if anybody is better at their job than a counterpart in the Ocean’s 11th.
Handsome Rob is judged capable of joining Danny Ocean’s crew.