Background on Ocean’s 8

Ocean’s 8 is a heist comedy film released in 2018 and serves as a spin-off and continuation of the popular “Ocean’s” film series. Directed by Gary Ross, the film features an ensemble cast of talented actresses, including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, and Awkwafina.

The production of Ocean’s 8 involved collaborations between Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. It was released to generally positive reviews and achieved commercial success at the box office, grossing over $297 million worldwide.

As a spin-off of the “Ocean’s” film series, Ocean’s 8 acknowledges the events of the previous films but stands on its own with a new storyline and characters. While connected to the larger franchise, it offers a unique and female-driven narrative within the heist genre.

The film follows Debbie Ocean (played by Sandra Bullock), the sister of Danny Ocean from the original “Ocean’s” trilogy, as she assembles a team of skilled women to carry out a heist at the Met Gala in New York City. The objective is to steal a valuable necklace worth $150 million from an actress played by Anne Hathaway.

Ocean’s 8 garnered attention for its female-led cast, which aimed to bring a fresh perspective to the heist genre traditionally dominated by male characters. The film was celebrated for its representation of women in diverse roles and for promoting female empowerment and solidarity.

Feminism & Ocean’s 8

With a female-centric storyline, Ocean’s 8 focuses on a group of talented and diverse women who come together to plan and execute a high-stakes heist. The film provides a platform for showcasing the skills, intelligence, and camaraderie of its female characters, highlighting their agency and capability in traditionally male-dominated genres.

The film challenges gender stereotypes by presenting female characters in roles typically associated with men, such as masterminds, hackers, and con artists. It defies the notion that such roles are exclusively reserved for male characters, thus promoting the idea of gender equality and breaking traditional Hollywood norms.  Furthermore, Ocean’s 8 celebrates female empowerment by portraying women who are confident, skilled, and assertive in their pursuit of success. The characters exhibit autonomy and demonstrate that women can be formidable leaders, decision-makers, and collaborators in achieving their goals.

The film also emphasizes the importance of female friendship and collaboration. The characters work together, leveraging their individual strengths, to outsmart their adversaries and accomplish their mission. This portrayal of female solidarity showcases the power of women supporting and uplifting one another.

Ocean’s 8 features a diverse cast of women, representing different ethnicities, backgrounds, and ages. This inclusivity promotes the idea that feminism should be intersectional and recognizes that women from various walks of life can come together and thrive.

Although Ocean’s 8 has been celebrated for its feminist elements, some critics have also raised discussions about missed opportunities or areas where the film could have gone further in its exploration of feminist themes. Nonetheless, the film has been recognized as a positive step towards showcasing women’s talents, capabilities, and camaraderie in the male-dominated genre of heist films.

View the 2018 film Ocean’s 8 (at the time of publication, it is available to rent via YouTube and Redbox) and then read a selection of the film reviews (below under “Sources”) written upon the release as you prepare to discuss the film.

Also watch the following Today Show interview where Ocean’s 8 cast members talk about women in Hollywood:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vges1Ea01ls

Sources

Bundel, Ani. “New ‘Ocean’s 8’ Sends Hollywood a Feminist Message. But not for the Reasons You Think.”  NBC News, 9 June 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/new-ocean-s-8-sends-hollywood-feminist-message-not-reasons-ncna881676

Hsieh, Leo and Sheridan Smith.  “Why ‘Ocean’s 8’ ‘Gender Flip’ Take on ‘Ocean’s 11’ is a Tokenization of Feminism.”  RTF Gender and Media Culture, 1 July 2021, https://rtfgenderandmediaculture.wordpress.com/2021/07/01/why-oceans-8-gender-flip-take-on-oceans-11-is-a-tokenization-of-feminism/

“‘Ocean’s 8’ Stars Speak Out on Challenges Women in Hollywood Face.”  YouTube, uploaded by TODAY, 6 June 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vges1Ea01ls

Ross, Gary.  Ocean’s 8.  Warner Brothers Pictures, 2018.

Ryan, Patrick.  “Sandra Bullock Almost Quit Acting over Hollywood Sexism: ‘I Didn’t Want to Be a Part of That.'”  USA Today, 5 June 2018, https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2018/06/05/sandra-bullock-acting-sexism-oceans-8/672131002/

Tang, Estelle.  “I Don’t Care About the Ocean’s 8 Heist. I Only Care that the Women are Having Fun.”  Elle,  19 June 2018, https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a21590981/oceans-8-review-killing-eve/

Taylor, Kate. “For Women in Film, a Mere Flip of the Script Is Not Nearly Enough.”  The Globe and Mail, 14 June 2018, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-for-women-in-film-a-mere-flip-of-the-script-is-not-nearly-enough/