Ringer Video Essays
The Truth Behind the Most Famous Plot Hole in ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (With Ted Griffin)
Hosts
Ben Lindbergh
Ben LindberghAbout the episode
Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 heist film Ocean’s Eleven is a crime-caper classic, renowned for its gripping portrayal of an intricate plot to rob three Las Vegas casinos. But one key component of Danny Ocean’s grand plan still defies easy explanation: the decoy duffel bags full of flyers that the thieves send out of the Bellagio vault, supposedly stuffed with cash. How did those duffel bags get INTO the vault to begin with? Is this plot twist also a glaring plot hole?
In this edition of Plot Hole or Not Hole, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh is joined by Ocean’s Eleven screenwriter Ted Griffin to settle the question once and for all, while also exploring the limits of “movie logic” and scrutinizing plot holes from other famous films.
Do you have a burning question about plot holes? Something you’d like to see us cover? Email us at plotholeornothole@gmail.com!
Summary
- 0:01
Welcome to Plot Hole or Not Hole
- 1:06
Ocean’s Eleven plot hole setup and story summary
- 6:30
Ted Griffin joins!
- 7:59
Ted explains how he wrote the heist
- 15:46
Ted’s philosophy of plot holes
- 16:00
Ted’s examples of plot holes in other famous movies
- 29:09
Ted’s definition of “movie logic”
- 40:24
Ted’s answer: Ocean’s Eleven duffel bags—plot hole or not hole?
- 43:22
Ben’s final verdict
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