Review: The Ladykillers
March 26, 2004; Loew’s Boston Common #16
* * * 1/2
Prior to seeing the film, I had read a review that claimed this was the best outing by veteran writer/directors Joel and Ethan Coen, so walking in, the bar was set pretty high. After seeing it, though I can’t say it will be replacing O Brother, Where Art Thou? or The Hudsucker Proxy, I can say it is certainly high on the list.
Tom Hanks plays G. H. Dorr, a southern gentleman/professor/criminal mastermind who has an ingenious scheme. Assembling a team of “specialists,” he plans to empty the vault of a riverboat casino in Mississippi. To do this, he plans to tunnel underground, starting in the basement of the house he is renting a room in, owned by Marva Munson, played by the sidesplitting Irma P. Hall. Things go awry when Marva begins to figure out that something a little more involved than band rehearsal is going on in her basement between Dorr and his friends.
The strongest points in The Ladykillers are the cast and the writing. The cast is superb, from the bottom up. J.K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, and Ryan Hurst all turn in distinct and worthwhile performances that are all hilarious in their own right. Each character has a different style of comedy, and each actor does well to bring out the distinctions. Also, a personal joy was to see nepotism resurrected, with long-time Coen friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell giving a cameo.
Shining through all competition, however, is Hanks. His G.H. Dorr is legitimate in everything he does. Sometimes nerdy, sometimes criminally brilliant, and sometimes downright creepy, everything is completely believable. As good as Apollo 13 and Road To Perdition and the similar dramas are, it is roles like this that make me remember that Tom Hanks is one of the best comedic actors around. Additionally, to Hanks’s credit, every time Dorr laughs… well, let’s just say it is infectious.
Also outstanding, per usual, is the writing of the near-infallible Coen brothers. It’s obvious, however, that in this movie, Marva and Professor Dorr are favorite characters. Marva is stereotypical without being offensive, and as such every word out of her mouth is authentic and appropriately amusing. There are times when Dorr’s dialogue is so completely esoteric and arcane that you can’t help but laugh… whether you understood what he said or not.
I have not seen the original The Ladykillers, nor do I have any stronger desire to after seeing the Coen version. From what I understand, there’s no real connection between the two beyond the basic plot, anyway. The Coens have once again crafted a darkly hilarious tale with characters so quirky and unique that they can only be human. Hanks delivers a hugely successful return to comedy, his first such role since 1999’s Toy Story 2. Everything works here, just maybe not as flawlessly as some previous Coen endeavors.
March 26, 2004; Loew’s Boston Common #16
* * * 1/2
Prior to seeing the film, I had read a review that claimed this was the best outing by veteran writer/directors Joel and Ethan Coen, so walking in, the bar was set pretty high. After seeing it, though I can’t say it will be replacing O Brother, Where Art Thou? or The Hudsucker Proxy, I can say it is certainly high on the list.
Tom Hanks plays G. H. Dorr, a southern gentleman/professor/criminal mastermind who has an ingenious scheme. Assembling a team of “specialists,” he plans to empty the vault of a riverboat casino in Mississippi. To do this, he plans to tunnel underground, starting in the basement of the house he is renting a room in, owned by Marva Munson, played by the sidesplitting Irma P. Hall. Things go awry when Marva begins to figure out that something a little more involved than band rehearsal is going on in her basement between Dorr and his friends.
The strongest points in The Ladykillers are the cast and the writing. The cast is superb, from the bottom up. J.K. Simmons, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, and Ryan Hurst all turn in distinct and worthwhile performances that are all hilarious in their own right. Each character has a different style of comedy, and each actor does well to bring out the distinctions. Also, a personal joy was to see nepotism resurrected, with long-time Coen friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell giving a cameo.
Shining through all competition, however, is Hanks. His G.H. Dorr is legitimate in everything he does. Sometimes nerdy, sometimes criminally brilliant, and sometimes downright creepy, everything is completely believable. As good as Apollo 13 and Road To Perdition and the similar dramas are, it is roles like this that make me remember that Tom Hanks is one of the best comedic actors around. Additionally, to Hanks’s credit, every time Dorr laughs… well, let’s just say it is infectious.
Also outstanding, per usual, is the writing of the near-infallible Coen brothers. It’s obvious, however, that in this movie, Marva and Professor Dorr are favorite characters. Marva is stereotypical without being offensive, and as such every word out of her mouth is authentic and appropriately amusing. There are times when Dorr’s dialogue is so completely esoteric and arcane that you can’t help but laugh… whether you understood what he said or not.
I have not seen the original The Ladykillers, nor do I have any stronger desire to after seeing the Coen version. From what I understand, there’s no real connection between the two beyond the basic plot, anyway. The Coens have once again crafted a darkly hilarious tale with characters so quirky and unique that they can only be human. Hanks delivers a hugely successful return to comedy, his first such role since 1999’s Toy Story 2. Everything works here, just maybe not as flawlessly as some previous Coen endeavors.
posted by Matt S. at
9:05 PM
