the trailer didn't do much for me. i guess he (Ratner) got attached to this because of the similarities to Rush Hour (hapless people trying to pull off something really difficult (Chris Tucker acting like a cop))
But the individual characters at the building seemed too similar pull off any tension comedically. i'm kinda rambling at this point, but i just don't see there being enough flavor in the movie for this to work well. at least Eddie is doing adult flicks again tho.
8. "Plot holes up the wazoo, but still funny and entertaining" In response to Reply # 0
Don't expect a wall-to-wall Eddie Murphy fest, as he doesn't really show up until about the 40-minute mark
But he was still funny, although I suspect fake armchair activists will be upset about the return of Con Man Eddie
I also thought that Stiller was fine as long as he stuck to the straight man role... but he got annoying when he started his usual comic mugging
Michael Pena (not Jay Hernandez) was also quite funny, but to me the scene stealer was Matthew Broderick
Alan Alda was also fine as the bad guy, and Tea was fine for her plug-in role
I didn't think Gabby had much to do but was okay
Aside from the plot/laws of physics issues I thought that every character aside from Stiller and Alda was a nitwit... a lot of laughs were generated from that idea, and this kind of comedy doesn't call for character development, but it was still a thought that dawned on me as I watched
I was entertained, though. Brett Ratner's direction didn't annoy me as much as it usually does, so that was a plus...
But yeah, Ed was quite funny... I know some of yous won't be happy until he's up there screaming "motherfucker" every other word (HARD R, SON!!!!!) and doing that laugh of his (which he says he can't really do anymore), but this PG-13 Eddie was fine just the same...
_________________________________________________________________________ Ladies and Gentlemen, the Yank-and-Jerk.
I wish it was a hard R. I can see a bit of old Eddie but overall the film is somewhat unforgettable. Everyone held their own though. I too was impress with the directing. I actually liked the serious aspect of the story more than the comedy. Don't know why? I wanted to get the know the characters more.
It was funny when it was supposed to be funny, the stunts were appropriately thrilling, and overall it was a fun ride with a great payoff. Everybody hit their marks and it was, thankfully, pretty fast-paced. Also, kudos for the plot not being hackneyed. I'd give it a solid A-/B+
Go Smack yourself and then apologize to your hand for looking stupid - Case_One
14. "There's a lot going against it, starting with Mr. Brett Ratner" In response to Reply # 13
There are directors, and then there are traffic managers
People here are giving him credit for managing traffic
Which does not necessarily mean he's a good director
And like I said about the movie itself, there are gaping plot holes and logic questions throughout, some of which may or may not be attributable to cutting for time
That said, the movie is still entertaining in spite of itself, and the fact that Eddie's only in it for the last hour or so, mainly because of the solid work from Eddie, Matthew Broderick, and (to a degree) Stiller
A matinee is actually the perfect call
_________________________________________________________________________ Then we came to the end...
16. "The little film that could" In response to Reply # 0
it was very entertaining,good family flick. BUT umm Eddie Murphy playing a role Charlie Murphy has mastered over the years!?!?! I wish they had cast Charlie it would have been 10x funnier.
17. "it REALLY had the potential to be a pretty awesome movie." In response to Reply # 0
that ending was a piece of shit though. In the hands of a competent director this movie could have been awesome. I hate movies where it just seems like its a rush to end. WTF happened to all of the characters at the end? What happened with Eddies character? Broderick? fuck!!@##
It was black market It was a room full of talkative family
But I notice we will shut up for a good movie
With that it did inspire a long discussion on how to off load that gold ~~~~ When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices. Live so that when you die, you rejoice, and the world cries. ~~~~ You cannot hate people for their own good.
21. "Wait, did they just give up at the end of this movie? SPOILERS" In response to Reply # 0
Movie was going pretty good until the end of the movie but they painted themselves into a corner with the heist with the car in the elevator having me wonder how the heck would they get the car out the building? Did I miss something but how did the car end up in the pool? And how did they get back in to get it?
********** "naive as the dry leaves on the ground looking past the trees to the blue sky asking 'why me?'" -Blu
22. "Movies like this really piss me off" In response to Reply # 0 Tue Sep-04-12 12:12 PM by OldPro
Just the idea there are people who get paid to bring shit like this to the screen is offensive to anyone with even a half ounce of common sense. _________________________________ Reunion Radio Podcasts http://reunionradio.blogspot.com/ Twitter @therealoldpro
If you think being gay is a choice, you've considered it.
23. "It was strange to me because the ending was totally fixable" In response to Reply # 22
Okay they couldn't pull the heist off with the car but when Ben Stiller found the hidden records (nevermind it was implausible that no one would find it hidden in the glove compartment) he could have had one of those John Grisham moments where he is able to negotiate everything he wanted for his people from the government before turning over the book.
********** "naive as the dry leaves on the ground looking past the trees to the blue sky asking 'why me?'" -Blu
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
Pass The Popcorn
