Ocean’s 8 is one of those movies that feels like it was custom made for me. All my favorite boss ladies are in it. The costumes are gorgeous. Cate Blanchett in leather. Cate Blanchett in menswear. Cate Blanchett on a motorcycle. She’s basically Carol in the year 2018.

We open on Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) -brother of Danny, who may or may not be dead- in jail, promising that she’ll be a reaaaally good girl. Five minutes later, she calls up her friend Lou (Cate Blanchett) to plan a jewel heist at the Met Gala. They soon assemble a crack team including hacker 9 Ball (Rihanna), a bored housewife fence (Sarah Paulson), a has-been designer (Helena Bonham Carter), a pickpocket (Awkwafina) and a gemologist living with her parents (Mindy Kaling). I mean, they could’ve just started an all girl band and I would’ve been cool with that too.

This movie is pure fun. The costumes are to die for and watching Bullock and Blanchett play off each other is a treat. The sexual tension between the two sizzles, almost implying that they have history with each other. It’s a shame writer/director Gary Ross didn’t pursue that further, or give us confirmation of Lou’s sexuality. Irregardless, Blanchett emanates major queer vibes. She oozes sex appeal as she struts and strategizes in beautiful suits and menswear. Vulture has even gone so far as to call Ocean’s 8 a lesbian movie.

I’ve heard complaints that the pace is a little slow. It’s definitely a gradual build up, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The women all have chemistry with each other and look like they’re having a genuinely good time. I just wish there could’ve been more of each character, especially Rihanna, Kaling and Awkwafina.

Anne Hathaway gives a career defining performance as actress Daphne Kluger. She spends the entirety of the movie sighing, gasping, fainting, and coquettishly batting her eyelashes. She’s basically Sharpay Evans in décolletage baring couture.

Among the witty dialogue are some pretty biting lines about sexism and ageism. When Lou asks Debbie why they don’t hire a guy instead, she assures her that a woman would be invisible. In Debbie’s pep talk before their mission, she tells the team they’re doing this for all the little girls everywhere who have always dreamt of being criminals.

After the car crash that was the Ghostbusters marketing campaign, I was praying that Warner Bros. would not screw up Ocean’s 8. Studio movies like this are RARE. Ones featuring an ensemble cast of actresses, some who are over the age of 50 don’t come very often. Despite all evidence pointing to the contrary, films starring women are still considered risky because male producers don’t think people (correction: men) will care about women’s stories. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Now that Ocean’s 8 has crossed the $100 million mark, the sequel is pretty much a go. Praise Yeezus.

Header image credit: Getty Images

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