Smokin' Aces

Smokin' Aces

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	2006
Founder	Joe Carnahan
Products	Crime thriller film

Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime thriller blending action and suspense, both written and directed by Joe Carnahan. The storyline centers on Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven), a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant who becomes the target of a one-million-dollar bounty. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Common, Andy García, Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Ray Liotta, among others, each portraying individuals intent on capturing, killing, or safeguarding Israel.

This film notably introduced Keys and Common in their first official acting roles. Set in Lake Tahoe and mainly shot at Bally's Lake Tahoe (formerly Caesars Tahoe), Smokin' Aces debuted at the 2006 Butt-Numb-A-Thon festival before its theatrical release in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2007, followed by the United States on January 26.

Although critical reception was mixed, the movie achieved commercial success, earning $57 million worldwide against a production budget of $17 million. It later inspired a 2010 prequel titled Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball, directed by P. J. Pesce with Carnahan serving as co-writer and producer.

Plot

Buddy "Aces" Israel, a Las Vegas magician with ambitions of gangster status, takes refuge in a Lake Tahoe hotel while his agent negotiates an immunity agreement with FBI Deputy Director Stanley Locke. Mob boss Primo Sparazza, who is gravely ill, has placed a $1 million bounty on Israel’s head, prompting a shadowy figure known as the "Swede" to dispatch several assassins: Lazlo Soot, a master of disguise; Sharice Watters and Georgia Sykes, hitwomen employed by Sparazza’s underboss; Pasquale Acosta, a mercenary; and the brutal Tremors brothers.

To protect Israel, Locke assigns Special Agents Messner and Carruthers. Meanwhile, bail bondsmen Dupree, Deeks, and Elmore are hired to apprehend Israel but fall victim to an attack by the Tremors, leaving only Elmore alive. Carruthers engages Acosta—who is disguised as security personnel—in a fierce gun battle that leaves both severely wounded. Soot infiltrates Israel’s penthouse under the guise of his henchman Hugo. Sir Ivy, Israel’s second-in-command, is detained by hotel security after accusing Israel of collaborating with authorities as part of the immunity deal.

Without notifying Messner or Carruthers, Locke unexpectedly cancels the immunity arrangement. The Tremor brothers launch an assault on the penthouse security team; Ivy and Israel manage to kill two of them while Darwin escapes. Upon discovering the deal’s termination, Israel attempts suicide but fails. Messner corners Sykes but is forced to retreat under sniper cover from Watters. Although Acosta wounds Sykes, Carruthers kills Acosta before succumbing to his own injuries. Mistaking Sykes for dead, Watters continues firing at FBI agents. Sykes survives and prevents Darwin Tremor from killing Ivy; Darwin escapes once again. Mourning Carruthers’ death, Messner allows Ivy and Sykes to go free after stopping them on the stairs. Watters then confronts FBI agents amid ongoing gunfire.

Locke’s team secures Israel and transports him to a hospital. Soot manages to flee; Acosta is taken away alive on a stretcher; Darwin is killed by Elmore. At the hospital, Locke reveals Sparazza’s heart is failing and that Israel—his illegitimate son—is the best candidate for donation. In truth, Sparazza is actually Freeman Heller, a former undercover FBI agent who was killed for blurring lines between law enforcement and organized crime by assuming Sparazza’s identity.

Outraged by the needless casualties and Locke’s scheme to sacrifice Israel to preserve Sparazza’s criminal empire, Messner disobeys orders. He removes both Israel and Sparazza from life support, ending their lives. As Locke’s team attempts to intervene, Messner discards his gun and badge, seemingly resigning from the FBI and preparing to face the consequences.

Cast

• Ben Affleck portrays Jack Dupree, a Las Vegas bail bondsman tasked with returning Buddy Israel for his court date.
• Ryan Reynolds plays Richard Messner, an FBI special agent assigned to safeguard Israel and secure his testimony.
• Andy Garcia takes on the role of Stanley Locke, the deputy director of the FBI overseeing the case against Sparazza.
• Chris Pine appears as Darwin Tremor, the eldest among the Tremor siblings—neo-Nazi assassins who intervene upon discovering the hit on Israel.
• Common embodies "Sir Ivy," serving as Israel's chief of security.
• Jeremy Piven acts as Buddy "Aces" Israel, a drug-addicted magician who becomes the target of an assassination plot.
  • James Conkle depicts a young version of Israel.
• Ray Liotta features as Donald Carruthers, Messner’s partner in the FBI.
• Tommy Flanagan plays Lazlo Soot, a skilled hitman and master of disguise hired to eliminate Israel and deliver his heart to Sparazza.
• Joseph Ruskin appears as Primo Sparazza, an aging mob boss from Las Vegas.
• Mike Falkow portrays Freeman Heller, a legendary federal agent known for infiltrating the Mafia.
• Alex Rocco embodies Sidney Serna, Sparazza’s underboss conspiring with Victor "Baby Buzz" Padiche to take control of the crime family.
• David Proval plays Victor "Baby Buzz" Padiche, a leading Capo collaborating with Serna in their power grab within the mob.
• Alicia Keys acts as Georgia Sykes, a contract killer hired to kidnap Israel before Soot can carry out the assassination.
• Taraji P. Henson features as Sharice Watters, Georgia’s partner in their contract killing assignment.
• Néstor Carbonell appears as Pasquale "El Estrago" Acosta, a Spanish mercenary notorious for torture and evasion; he attempts to claim the contract on Israel.
• Kevin Durand portrays Jeeves Tremor, the youngest and largest of the Tremor brothers.
• Maury Sterling plays Lester Tremor, the smallest member of the Tremor siblings.
• Curtis Armstrong embodies Morris Mecklen, Israel’s business manager who also acts as his lawyer.
• Jason Bateman appears as Rupert "Rip" Reed, an attorney whose firm posted Israel’s bail and hires bounty hunters to recover him before bond forfeiture occurs.
• Vladimir Kulich portrays Dr. Sven "The Swede" Ingstrom, reputedly an assassin but actually a distinguished heart surgeon.
• Peter Berg plays Peter "Pistol Pete" Deeks, a former Las Vegas vice cop dismissed for corruption; he partners with Hollis Elmore and is hired by Dupree.
• Martin Henderson acts as Hollis Elmore, another ex-vice cop who took responsibility alongside Pete; he works alongside Dupree.
• Joel Edgerton features as Hugo Croop, an Eastern European bodyguard and hanger-on.
• Christopher Michael Holley portrays "Beanie," Israel’s procurer who is revealed in Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball as undercover FBI agent Malcolm Little.
• Davenia McFadden plays Loretta Wyman, handler for contract killers Georgia and Sharice.
• Matthew Fox appears as Bill, head of security at the Lake Tahoe hotel where significant events take place.

Supporting roles include FBI agents Baker and Wyman (Brian Bloom, Scott Bloom) and hotel personnel (Clare Carey, Patrick St. Esprit, Marianne Muellerleile, Zach Cumer, and Scott Halberstadt).

Wayne Newton makes a cameo appearance as himself; writer-director Joe Carnahan also cameoed portraying an armed robber.

Production

Following his departure from Mission: Impossible III, Joe Carnahan developed a screenplay influenced by It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, blending dark comedy with graphic violence. Liza Chasin from Working Title connected with Carnahan, impressed by his earlier work on Narc. Many actors were drawn to the project due to Carnahan’s established reputation from Narc and underwent specialized training to execute most stunts in camera.

Casting

Michael Shannon was originally selected to portray Darwin Tremor but was dismissed by Carnahan for unprofessional conduct. Chris Pine secured his role within moments of auditioning, receiving acclaim for injecting vital humor and lightness through his physical acting.

This production marked the official screen debuts of both Common and Alicia Keys. Additionally, it was the final cinematic appearance of Joseph Ruskin before his passing in 2013.

Filming

The primary filming location was the Bally's Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino—known then as Caesars Tahoe—in Stateline, Nevada.

Title sequence

Carnahan’s on-set photographer captured an excess of 3,000 still images, which London’s VooDooDog studio animated into the movie’s title sequences using After Effects. Drawing inspiration from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and other 1970s cinema, the sequence incorporated ink textures shot with a Canon 5D. Although two versions of the sequence were produced—one for the opening and one for the closing credits—only the end sequence was retained to preserve narrative flow. Creative director Paul Donnellon highlighted filmmakers’ concerns about viewer attention spans but emphasized that thoughtfully designed credit sequences can effectively engage audiences.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack includes 18 tracks, with the official album omitting only "Spottieottiedopaliscious" by Outkast. The score was composed by Clint Mansell, recognized for his work on The Fountain and Requiem for a Dream. Notably, "First Warning" by The Prodigy featured in both the video game Need for Speed: Undercover and an episode of Top Gear reviewing the BAC Mono.

Box office

According to data from Box Office Mojo, the film debuted with $14,638,755 during its opening weekend across 2,218 theaters, averaging $6,599 per location. Its domestic gross reached $35,662,731 while international earnings totaled $21,600,709, culminating in a worldwide sum of $57,263,440.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, Smokin' Aces holds a 31% approval rating based on 158 critiques, with an average rating of 4.50/10. The consensus characterizes it as "a violent mess" that stylistically echoes Quentin Tarantino but lacks his sharp wit. On Metacritic, it received a score of 45 out of 100 from 32 reviewers, reflecting mixed opinions. Audience feedback via CinemaScore assigned it a "B" grade.

David Denby of The New Yorker expressed disapproval of the film’s nihilistic mood and chaotic violence, describing it as senseless despite its classification as black comedy. In contrast, Peter Travers from Rolling Stone gave it three stars out of four, recognizing its intricate storyline and sudden conclusion while praising it as an action-packed "guy movie" enriched with humor.

In an uncommon public conversation at Princeton University in October 2016, director Terrence Malick praised the film’s direction and its adept management of multiple narratives.

Home media

Smokin' Aces became available on DVD and HD DVD starting April 17, 2007, with sales reaching 1,853,397 copies and generating revenue of $35.7 million—exceeding twice its original production cost. The film was subsequently released on Blu-ray on January 19, 2010, followed by an Ultra HD Blu-ray edition on May 3, 2022.

Prequel

On July 17, 2007, director Joe Carnahan revealed that Universal Pictures had greenlit a second Smokin' Aces movie, serving as a prequel that premiered directly to DVD on January 19, 2010. This sequel was produced without Carnahan’s direction.