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a14 people & arts
Friday 3 March 2023
'Operation Fortune' is a by-the-numbers spy caper

By JOCELYN NOVECK cast, in the only substan-
AP National Writer tial female role. Like most
So what the heck is in the of the characters, though,
shiny alligator briefcase? hers is barely fleshed out. It's
That essential question also unfortunate that she's
lingers over much — too called upon to be sexy and
much — of the running time seductive, as if this is simply
of "Operation Fortune: Ruse the lot of any woman in an
de Guerre," Guy Ritchie's action thriller. Can't we just
stylish but ultimately frus- have a talented female
tratingly half-baked spy tech wizard?
caper. Everyone wants the In any case, the team's
$10 billion contents of the initial target is billionaire
briefcase, but we don't arms dealer Greg Sim-
know exactly who's selling, monds (Grant, reuniting
who's buying and most im- with Ritchie from "The Gen-
portantly, what's in there. tlemen"), who is brokering
Not to stretch a metaphor, the deal. Before they show
but this shiny case rather up at his glittering charity
ends up becoming one for This image released by Lionsgate shows Jason Statham, from left, Josh Hartnett and Aubrey Plaza event in Cannes, though,
the movie itself: made of in a scene from "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre." their luxury jet makes a de-
the finest materials — for Associated Press tour to Hollywood, to pick
example, crowd-pleasing up their "invitation": Danny
cast members Aubrey Pla- sive wine-loving private is what they call that elu- needs an extra je-ne-sais- Francesco, an action mov-
za and Hugh Grant — and contractor. sive thing everyone's fight- quoi. ie star that Simmonds is ob-
hinting at sophistication But it seems that Ritchie, ing over. Enter Fortune (Statham), sessed with.
and panache, while end- who both co-wrote and We begin with Nathan who's vacationing in Mo- Danny is a willing accom-
ing up as something of a directed, is going for some- (Cary Elwes), posh and rocco when he's told he plice — well, not really,
head-scratcher. thing more sophisticated pretty annoyed himself. The has about two minutes to but he's blackmailed with
Of course, for some, es- here. The first hint: That title. head of a covert spy agen- accept his new mission. compromising information
pecially fans of Jason Perhaps you weren't famil- cy, Nathan has been sum- He's given two helpers, or about his sex life.
Statham, it will likely be iar with the French term moned by the government "footmen": Sarah (Plaza) His job is to "play" himself
enough just watching this "ruse de guerre"? Well, it in London (why the graph- and J.J. (Bugzy Malone). and befriend Simmonds so
Ritchie favorite practice his signifies a ruse of war, or ics team felt it was neces- The latter is good with the team can get to the
well-honed talent for hand- stratagem of war, or plan sary to specify "London, weapons, and Sarah is a dealer's phone. Orson will
to-hand combat, casually or scheme … exactly what ENGLAND" is not clear) to tech whiz, seemingly able play Danny's manager,
dispatching a cascade of Fortune and his team need head up a team. Why, he to hack into anything. The and Sarah the girlfriend —
bad guys in leather jackets to counter the shady arms asks, is official intelligence ever watchable Plaza, with a convenient reason to get
as the titular Orson Fortune, dealers, tech moguls and not handling this? "Ah, ruse her trademark flat deliv- Plaza dolled up in a series
a perpetually annoyed, familiar rivals all seeking to de guerre, Nathan" he's ery and expertly doled out of slinky outfits with up-to-
phobia-plagued, expen- recover The Handle, which told — meaning this job sass, is a highlight of this there slits.q

Wayne Shorter, jazz saxophone pioneer, dies at 89

for the musician said. No horizons of jazz across some saxophone playing sound-
cause of death was given. of its most fast-evolving ed through more than half
Shorter, a tenor saxophon- eras. a century of American mu-
ist, made his debut in 1959 Herbie Hancock once said sic, has died.
and would go on to be a of Shorter in Miles Davis's He was 89.
foundational member of Second Great Quintet: "The Shorter died Thursday in Los
two of the most seminal master writer to me, in that Angeles, a representative
jazz groups: Art Blakey's group, was Wayne Shorter. for the musician said. No
Jazz Messengers and the He still is a master. Wayne cause of death was given.
Miles Davis Quintet. Over was one of the few people Shorter, a tenor saxophon-
the next eight decades, who brought music to Miles ist, made his debut in 1959
Shorter's wide-spanning that didn't get changed." and would go on to be a
collaborations would in- As a band leader, Shorter foundational member of
clude co-founding the '70s released more than 25 al- two of the most seminal
fusion band Weather Re- bums. He won 11 Grammy jazz groups: Art Blakey's
port, some 10 album ap- awards and in 2015 was Jazz Messengers and the
pearances with Joni Mitch- given a lifetime achieve- Miles Davis Quintet. Over
Jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter performs at the 5 Continents ell and further explorations ment Grammy. Wayne the next eight decades,
Jazz Festival in Marseille, southern France on July 23, 2013. with Carlos Santana and Shorter, jazz saxophone pi- Shorter's wide-spanning
Associated Press Steely Dan. oneer, dies at 89 collaborations would in-
Many of Shorter's textured By The Associated Press un- clude co-founding the '70s
By The Associated Press playing sounded through and elliptical compositions defined fusion band Weather Re-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wayne more than half a century of — including "Speak No Evil," LOS ANGELES (AP) — port, some 10 album ap-
Shorter, an influential jazz American music, has died. "Black Nile," "Footprints," Wayne Shorter, an influen- pearances with Joni Mitch-
innovator whose lyrical, He was 89. and "Nefertiti" — became tial jazz innovator whose ell and further explorations
complex jazz compositions Shorter died Thursday in Los modern jazz standards and lyrical, complex jazz com- with Carlos Santana and
and pioneering saxophone Angeles, a representative expanded the harmonic positions and pioneering Steely Dan.q