My main motto about movies is “The most beautiful thing about film is the pure subjectivity of it”. I hold to that. But even I get a little amazed at how “the masses” sometime reject what I think it a special piece of work. One such film that quickly jumps to mind for me is the Tom Hanks film The Ladykillers.
Written and directed by the amazing Coen brothers (also responsible for such films Intolerable Cruelty, The Man Who Wasn’t There, O Brother Where Art Thou?, The Big Lebowski and so on and so on) the film is my favorite example of just good campfire storytelling of any offering of 2004.
Right off the top I’ve got to say that I think Tom Hanks has never been better than he was in this film. No, seriously. The man gives a performance that I thought was going to have the world of Hollywood buzzing like crazy. Hanks plays “An eccentric, if not charming Southern professor” who masterminds a daring heist. Hanks also gave the character a slightly seedy kernel Sanders feel to him which just had me giggling every time he opened his mouth.
As with many Coen films, much of the story and characters are actually metaphors and symbolism. The brilliant thing about them is the way the metaphors and symbols slowly reveal themselves to the audience… you have to figure them out… but they do come. And when they reveal themselves you click in with what much of the story has REALLY been about. I dig that. I don’t mean to give too much away, (WARNING, SLIGHT SPOILER IN THIS SENTENCE)… but it hit me about 75% of the way through the film that Hanks’ character was actually the devil, or representation of real evil. Slick, suave, charming, seductive yet brilliant and conniving. It brought the movie to a whole new level for me.
The cast is wonderfully assembled. Rich characters, funny dialog, FANTASTIC pace. I just loved this movie.
I picked it up at the DVD store last night and remembered how stunned I was that this film didn’t get better reviews or box office results. Do yourself a favor and get out to rent this puppy.
My comment on this movie holds with everybody in here as this movie esspecially has got to tickle certain tender brains. I feel mine is matured and I would give hundred point of hundred as this movie has satisfied my desire, i.e., this is my kinda movie.
My comment
My comment on this movie holds with everybody in here as this movie esspecially has got to tickle certain tender brains. I feel mine is matured and I would give hundred point of hundred as this movie has satisfied my desire, i.e., this is my kinda movie.
Lady Killer I thought was one of the worset movies of all time… So it’s interesting to ready your review.
Sorry to say this. I thought it was crap!
Donna A.
I’m an old man who was most impresed by the original, to the point that it is the only movie I have ever seen over 11 times…not counting the times I have viewed it on my own VCR.
Hanks and company did a very credible job on the remake, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We will get the DVD (see, I’ve moved up.)
The major problem with this film is the supporting cast of characters which are all badly drawn stereotypes — esp. Marlon Wayans’ character who demonstrates that the Coens have completely no understanding hip hop culture or even how to make fun of it as their jokes about it would only make someone’s granmother laugh.
Hanks is the best thing about this misguided movie. He deserves to be in another, better Coen bros.’ film.
I too got a good laugh out of Tom Hanks’s performance. Especially from that goofy laugh of his. I missed the metaphors, but then again I’m the type who misses a lot of things. :D
I was looking forward to this film because a) I love the Coen’s and b) I love Hanks. But due to the negative reviews, I gave it a swerve. I have seen the original (many moons ago mind, so cant really remember it) but, based on the above, a may go get myself a copy and see if I enjoy!
thank you!
i have been preaching to my friends and family about this movie since i first saw it, and i still hold true to my original prognosis:
cinematic gold
I just love movies where eveyrthing gets wrapped into a neat little package at the end, and things really feel like they have come full circle.
I agree, Hanks performance was wonderful, but there’s a huge flaw with this movie in that the landlady is clever, large and strong, quite able to cope with these characters.
In the original, again with one hell of an amazing cast, the landlady is a tiny, old, frail, sunday tea and scones woman. She has no idea what is going on, and much less when events begin to unfold. Even the closing moments of the movie she still doesn’t understand it and is oblivious to everything around her. She’s just so sweet.
That contrast for me is where the original beats this hands down.
John says go rent this, I say go see the original first. (Hey kids, it shows Alec Guinness without a light saber!)