Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Joanna Mccarty Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

seeingbystarlight Five merry miscreants: Charlatan Professor, Goldthwait Higginson Dorr (Tom Hanks), Jack-of-all-trades Garth Pancake (J.K. Simmons), a retired General/Donut Shop owner (Tzi Ma), Custodian Gawain McSam (Marlon Wayans), and dumb but adorable, brute Lump Hudson (Ryan Hurst); have all teamed up to rob Mississippi's hottest Casino, The Bandit Queen.For this purpose, The Professor has rented a room in the house of the unimpeachable, and Godfearing Mrs. Munson (Irma P. Hall), a no nonsense widow of strong moral convictions.Under the pretext of being "devoted and passionate musicians of the early Renaissance", the five thieves gain access to the root cellar, in Malva Munson's house.With Gawain as the inside man at the Casino, they set out to tunnel their way to the counting room of said establishment, and rob it blind (while snowing the nice old lady).Mrs. Munson, however is not quite the fool the thieves take her for.When the men make a disastrous mistake which finally leads to her discovering the truth, the well meaning old widow gives them an ultimatum in an attempt to help save their souls which results in events that are catastrophic, brilliant, and totally hilarious.This is the kind of movie that needs to be WATCHED. A mere description of the plot not nearly doing it justice.The script and direction by the Coen Brothers in impeccable. The entire cast is spectacular (especially Tom Hanks, and Irma P. Hall).The gospel music threaded throughout the story, adds tremendously, and always makes me want to see the movie again.This comedy is realistic, funny, and completely original. A classic, and one of the best ever made.So will the miscreants kill the widow?As Garth Pancake is fond of saying:"It's the easiest thing in the world."That may appear to be the case, but God always has a few aces up His sleeve.Originally, Review #45Posted On: December 22, 2009

dahlswede The 2004 remake of The Ladykillers deserves far more attention than it received from some mainstream media critics. This charming film benefits from excellent writing, beautiful cinematography and first rate acting and directing. The use of themes in the film to contrast good and evil makes this remake worthy fare for church groups, community groups and family viewing (although some characters use coarse language that might offend some viewers, the use of the expletives fits the plot and furthers one of the themes of the film).One of this re-make movie's virtues, absent in the original, revolves around the character of the kind hearted Marva Munson, a devout elderly lady with a will of iron, a hot temper and a heart of gold. She epitomizes the strength that surrounds innocence and purity of spirit. The talented Irma P. Hall portrays this character vibrantly. She deserves acclaim for her memorable performance in the film. Tom Hanks as the conniving, pedantic scholar Professor G. H. Dorr also deserves acclaim for his work in this re-make. Unbelievable circumstances in the plot gain credibility through his impressive characterization of a talented man overpowered by the forces of greed.Marlon Wayans as Gawain MacSam also delivers a stunning, sensitive performance. His talent emerges as the events of the film unfold. Although his character displays some negative qualities, the audience develops affection for him. Portraying a complex character so effectively demonstrates great talent. Performances by others, including J.K. Simmons as Garth Pancake, Tzi Ma as The General and Ryan Hurst as Lump Hudson all deserve very high praise.The film makes excellent use of its locale, with captivating imagery that furthers the symbolism in the script. If this film did not garner Oscar nominations, it really deserved that credit. Watch this gem of a movie if you want to see an entertaining, humorous adventure with substance.

cormac_zoso This is one of the Coen Bros movies that always gets passed by or put down though honestly I don't know why. The characters are sharply drawn and while at times nearly slap-stick-like, they are still hilarious. Irma Hall as Marva Munson is just priceless ... having done yard work for many older widows when I was young, she is not too far from many of the ladies I worked for ("You don't want to be tested and found wanting" just cracked me up as I had heard it and many other Biblical quips from these women - some that I probably should have heeded far more often) ... they were dear sweet ladies but they were not to be trifled with on any level. Gives me a smile to think of them still, however, as they were so devoted to their god. Her "bitch slapping" of Marlon Wayons character for using "hippity-hoppity" language in her "Christian home" is an accurate portrayal of the ladies I knew when you took the Lord's name in vain.The other characters are just as funny. Tom Hanks' portrayal of the Southern professor gives the academic man a very nice old-time feeling and his continual, literary line of b.s. won't fail to bring a smile to your face while Tzi Ma's character, "The General", handles a couple of would-be robbers in a way we would all hope to and one that leaves the criminals wanting to be sure. J.K. Simmons (best known for his recent role in TV's "The Closer") character's ("Garth Pancake") sincere and continuous explanations of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS, or as Marlon Wayons asks, "You be what?") and his devotion to Mountain Girl are quite funny and sweet in a very odd way.But oddity is the watchword of these characters. They are all misfits yet all fit as a unit, give or take for a time or two. Of course, as you watch the film you'll start to notice that their numbers dwindle slow and sure as greed and opportunity allow one after the other to be eliminated.Wayons, as some have mentioned, probably is the weak link in this thespian ensemble. He simply doesn't have the skill set the other more experienced actors have but he does what he does to the best of his ability (having seen him in other movies this is his best by far -- Damon is the most talented of the brothers no doubt about it). Ryan Hurst is s surprise as the nearly-mentally numb Lump ... look back at his list of roles and you'll see he really can do much more than stand with his eyes vacuous while all air intake is done so through his gaped maw. As the old saying goes in acting circles, "You have to be smart to play dumb" and I'll say it applies to his performance.The Coen Bros also capture the Baptist (or perhaps the generic "black") church service perfectly. Having been a fan of the black gospel experience (the service, the sermonical delivery, and especially the music), it is a faithful and sweet portrayal of the small church experience and brings back many good memories. Indeed, the music of the movie is one of the best aspects of the movie. From the "Ink Spots"-sound of the song played over the opening credits and Mrs. Munson's original complaint to delightfully-lazy Sheriff Wyner (played deftly by George Wallace who accomplishes the perfect pitch of his character by very nearly using only his eyes) to the church service to even the rap "music" played blends perfectly with each scene it is chosen to accompany.This is one of the forgotten Ceon Bros efforts but take the time and you'll be rewarded.

Benjamin Cox The Coen brothers have had an extraordinary career carving out their own niche beyond Hollywood's borders in Indieville. Gems like "Fargo" and "The Big Lebowski" remain eminently watchable but not what you'd call mainstream. So a remake of a much-loved Ealing comedy might have seemed like a safe bet to the brothers but alas, the gentle charm and innocence of the original has been lost in a whirlwind of cartoony performances and a barrage of four-letter words.Sleazy oddball charmer G.H. Dorr (Tom Hanks) answers the advertisement for a room to let at the home of Southern widower Marva Munson (Irma P Hall). He explains that he and his fellow musicians need somewhere quiet to practise and Marva's basement provides him with the ideal location. But Dorr's interests lie not with the arts but with the cash deposits stored in a nearby underground vault by a floating casino. Dorr and his various accomplices (Marlon Wayans, J K Simmons, Tzi Ma and Ryan Hurst) begin tunnelling their way to ill-gotten wealth but when their scheme is discovered by Marva, they soon decide that one of them has to silence the old lady for good...Despite the wave of criticism, there is much to like about "The Ladykillers". The gospel music provides a real boost, infusing the picture with an energy that the plot itself lacks. Performances are also top-draw - Hanks is certainly memorable as Dorr but he is upstaged by genuinely funny turns by Simmons and Wayans, who I normally can't stand. Hall, for my money, is the film's MVP as she provides a warm, homely centre for the movie but one with a steely exterior when the situation demands it - much like Katie Johnson did in the original. There are also several laugh-out-loud moments of subtle comedy that work, rather than the usual attempts of going overboard by Hollywood films. However, there are problems - pacing is dreadfully slow and the film's reluctance to differ too much from the original merely highlights a lack of imagination from the Coens. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but what benefit is there in remaking a perfectly good film for modern movie-goers? Did it do Gus Van Sant any good remaking "Psycho"? There are other flaws as well. While Wayans is much funnier than normal, his constant swearing jars wildly with the old-world charm of the film in general and he simply doesn't fit in. There is also a sense that the film thinks its funnier than it actually is - Hanks' performance is good but too much for the role, the opposite of Alec Guinness' performance which was understated and much funnier. The whole film is filled with clichéd characters like the choir master who looks like a young Little Richard and farcical scenarios that simply wouldn't happen. In short, none of it feels real which was what made "Fargo" so good in the first place. However, I'm not going to mark a film down just because it is a remake. There are laughs to be had here, although fans of the Coens will be disappointed with "The Ladykillers". But would I watch it again or hunt down the DVD like I did with the 1955 version? Nope.