---
title: "The Italian Job"
year: 2003
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-italian-job-2003"
fi1m_id: "the-italian-job-2003"
imdb_id: "tt0317740"
tmdb_id: 9654
wikidata_id: "Q648312"
fi1m_score: 70
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-10-05T03:20:22.134096+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T03:20:29.779650+00:00"
region: "IT"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Italian Job (2003)

Directed by F. Gary Gray · 1h 50m · MiC T · Action, Crime

## Identity

The Italian Job

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-italian-job-2003
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-italian-job-2003
- **IMDb ID:** tt0317740
- **TMDB ID:** 9654
- **Wikidata ID:** Q648312
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317740/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9654, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q648312

**Fi1m score: 70** · Critics 57 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* The Minis have more personality than the man organising the heist

> F. Gary Gray’s caper is good company, with a lively gang and car chases worth the planning. Mark Wahlberg’s subdued lead keeps the personal stakes from becoming equally engaging.

## Synopsis

For Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg), a heist in Los Angeles comes with a personal rivalry to settle. Stella Bridger (Charlize Theron) and Steve (Edward Norton) are involved, along with Lyle (Seth Green), Handsome Rob (Jason Statham) and Left Ear (Yasiin Bey). The job brings together a gang and a fleet of Minis, with careful planning and driving both part of the undertaking. Getting in and getting out are only part of the aim. There is also the business of getting even, which gives Charlie Croker more to think about than the mechanics of a robbery.

## Review

*The Italian Job* is an enjoyable caper whose leading man could use a little more mischief. F. Gary Gray is alert to the pleasure of watching a gang get on with a difficult job. He also understands that the group needs to be tolerable company while it prepares. The trouble is that the film’s central rivalry never becomes as interesting as the practical business surrounding it. The staging is assured enough to carry it, and the comic members of the crew do their share of the work.

Mark Wahlberg’s Charlie Croker is the weak point, played with a steadiness that rarely suggests much urgency underneath it. A restrained lead can be useful in a caper, but here we keep waiting for something less dutiful to emerge. Edward Norton, as Steve, does not make the central rivalry much more compelling. Charlize Theron’s Stella Bridger is more engaging: her concentration makes the job seem important, and we find ourselves paying closer attention whenever she is involved.

The rest of the gang supplies welcome mischief. Seth Green’s Lyle, Jason Statham’s Handsome Rob and Yasiin Bey’s Left Ear are broad comic types, but their contributions stop the preparations from feeling like a staff briefing. Wayne Powers and Donna Powers give the group an easy working rhythm in the screenplay. The performances suggest colleagues who know how to get a rise out of one another without bringing work to a halt. The jokes do not tell us much about anyone, yet they make spending time with the crew agreeable enough.

The driving is where F. Gary Gray’s confidence pays off. Wally Pfister’s photography gives the chases a welcome clarity, and editors Richard Francis-Bruce and Christopher Rouse keep the movement readable as well as brisk. We grinned at the colour-coded Minis; their playfulness provides a release from all the rather sober personal business. It is a straightforward pleasure, watching these cars put through their paces, and the film sensibly gives it room.

Charles Wood’s production design gives the heist’s working spaces a useful neatness, though little about them lingers in the memory. We seldom feel curious about these places beyond their immediate use, which limits the sense of a life outside the plot. John Powell’s score keeps the action buoyant, sometimes pressing for excitement when the driving is already doing the work.

Heist films ask us to root for people whose main qualification is being good at stealing. That usually works if we enjoy watching them think, and F. Gary Gray earns that indulgence through the group’s shared competence. At 110 minutes, the film gives that pleasure a sensible amount of time. Save it for an evening when the prospect of a well-executed robbery is recommendation enough.

*Fi1m score 70, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean mixed, with praise concentrated on the caper mechanics, comic ensemble work and Mini chases. Several critics find the remake brisk and enjoyable, crediting its tighter construction and energetic direction even when they doubt its personality. The final heist supplies the chief pleasures for some, while Charlize Theron’s screen presence earns approval even among detractors. The recurring reservation is that competent entertainment does not give this version enough distinctive character.

The spread is wide, though enthusiasm is scarce. Variety is the clear enthusiast, finding a witty, confident remake that improves on the original, despite a flat conclusion. Eye for Film takes the opposite view, judging it formulaic, implausible and markedly inferior. The New Yorker occupies a more revealing middle ground in its comments: the chases entertain, but Mark Wahlberg’s subdued performance weakens the rivalry. Critics also divide over the finale, which some find lively and others lifeless.

## Straight answers

**Is The Italian Job worth watching?**

*The Italian Job* is worth watching for its lively crew and clearly staged car chases, and we score it 70 out of 100. We enjoy the planning and the playful Minis more than the personal rivalry: Mark Wahlberg’s subdued lead makes this a better choice for caper enthusiasts than anyone seeking an involving revenge story.

**How long is The Italian Job, and what is it rated?**

*The Italian Job* runs 1h 50m and is rated T by the MiC in Italy. It is an action and crime film.

**Where can I watch The Italian Job in Italy?**

*The Italian Job* is streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in Italy, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Italian Job, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Italian Job* has a UK 12A certificate, so children under 12 need an accompanying adult at the cinema. The car chases and criminal rivalry are worth considering when judging suitability for younger or sensitive children; we cannot offer a precise account of violence or frightening material beyond that certificate guidance.

**How does The Italian Job compare to The Lavender Hill Mob?**

*The Italian Job* offers more driving action, but we recommend [*The Lavender Hill Mob*](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob) more readily for comedy, with Alec Guinness’s quiet precision giving it the advantage over the later film’s subdued lead. Both find pleasure in criminal planning; choose the Minis for chases and an agreeable gang, or the shorter comedy for complications that reveal its organisers’ personalities.

**What should I watch after The Italian Job?**

After *The Italian Job*, try [*The Lavender Hill Mob*](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob) (1951, Fi1m 82): For a criminal scheme whose complications bring out its organisers’ comic personalities. Then [*Logan Lucky*](https://film.one/film/logan-lucky) (2017, Fi1m 76): An agreeable gang makes elaborate theft feel like an eccentric family undertaking.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Variety**, Robert Koehler (85/100, inferred): Koehler finds the remake a confident, witty caper that outdoes the original and stands out among summer action films. He praises its charismatic ensemble and smoothly executed heist, though he finds the conclusion flat. [Read](https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/the-italian-job-2-1200541406/)
- **Empire**, Chris Hewitt (65/100, inferred): The remake is entertaining but lacks the original’s defining moments and Ocean’s Eleven’s pizzazz. The critic especially praises the gang’s comic performances and the climactic Mini chase. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/italian-job-2-review/)
- **Screen Daily**, Agnes Poirier (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is unavailable in the accessible text. No specific praise or complaint can be determined from the page shown. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-italian-job/4013758.article)
- **The New York Times**, A. O. Scott (64/100, inferred): The page content was inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. No review summary can be provided without guessing. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/30/movies/film-review-once-again-it-takes-a-thief-to-catch-a-thief.html)
- **Time Out**, DA (64/100, inferred): The available metadata identifies this as a review of the 2003 film. It notes the remake’s shift from Turin to Los Angeles and its predominantly American cast, but the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaints are unavailable. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-italian-job)
- **Radio Times**, Jason Caro (3/5): Caro finds the remake an enjoyable ride despite the risks of adapting the much-loved original. He praises its supercharged direction, bright cast and smarter-than-expected script. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-cswwke/the-italian-job/)
- **The Guardian**, Philip French (60/100, inferred): French finds the remake tauter and better made, but too lacking in distinctive character to become a cult film. He praises its tighter construction while faulting its insufficient idiosyncrasy. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,1046306,00.html)
- **Total Film**, Total Film (3/5): The critic finds it enjoyable smash-and-grab entertainment, though it never quite reaches top gear. The zinging final heist and its colour-coded Minis provide the biggest thrills. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/italian-job-review/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (1.5/4): Schager gives the remake a sharply negative review, calling it tedious and unimaginative. He singles out Charlize Theron’s screen presence as a bright spot amid the dull performances and lifeless finale. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-italian-job/)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (35/100, inferred): Denby finds the film entertaining and technically capable, but ultimately emotionally dead. He praises the energetic car chases while faulting Mark Wahlberg’s subdued performance for draining the central rivalry of tension. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/06/16/traffic-jams)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (20/100, inferred): The critic finds the remake formulaic, implausible and far inferior to the original. Charlize Theron is the standout, praised for her presence and apparent belief in the role. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-italian-job-2003-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** F. Gary Gray
- **Director:** F. Gary Gray
- **Screenplay:** Donna Powers, Wayne Powers
- **Cinematography:** Wally Pfister
- **Editor:** Christopher Rouse, Richard Francis-Bruce
- **Music:** John Powell
- **Production design:** Charles Wood
- **Producer:** Donald De Line
- **Cast:** Mark Wahlberg as Charlie Croker; Charlize Theron as Stella Bridger; Edward Norton as Steve; Seth Green as Lyle; Jason Statham as Handsome Rob; Yasiin Bey as Left Ear; Donald Sutherland as John Bridger; Aleksander Krupa as Mashkov
- **Runtime:** 1h 50m
- **Certificate (MiC):** T
- **Release (Italy):** 11 July 2003
- **Genres:** Action, Crime
- **Budget:** $60 million
- **Box office:** $176 million

## Where to watch in Italy

- Netflix: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, uhd
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €4.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy €4.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IT, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Rififi* (1955): For patient criminal teamwork and suspense built from the details of a job.
- *The Hot Rock* (1972): A theft keeps acquiring complications, and the gang remains worth following.
- *The Lavender Hill Mob* (1951), Fi1m 82: For a criminal scheme whose complications bring out its organisers’ comic personalities. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob.md)
- *The Thieves* (2012): Another crowded crew discovers how awkward a shared criminal ambition can become.
- *Logan Lucky* (2017), Fi1m 76: An agreeable gang makes elaborate theft feel like an eccentric family undertaking. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/logan-lucky.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-italian-job-2003