"The Ladykillers" Movie Review
The Movie Reporter
Films Reviews from a Family Perspective
by Phil Boatwright
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contain the same theme, but lack the offensive material.
The Ladykillers. Tom Hanks, Irma P. Hall. Touchstone Pictures. Comedy. WD-Joel Ethan Coen.
Tom Hanks teams up with filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen (#147;Fargo,#148; #147;O Brother, Where Art Thou?#148;) for a remake of the 1955 English comedy of the same name. This version has Hanks in the Alec Guinness role, playing a charlatan Southern gentleman professor who#146;s assembled a gang of so-called experts for a heist. The base of operations: the root cellar of an unsuspecting, church-going, little old southern black lady named Mrs. Munson (Irma P. Hall). The ruse: the five need a place to practice their church music. The problem: it quickly becomes evident that the professor#146;s thieves lack the mental capacity to do the job. The bigger problem: Mrs. Munson has discovered their crime. The solution: they plot her demise. The surprise: other forces are with this God-fearing woman.
I can#146;t remember laughing this much at a film. In my opinion, it is the funniest dark comedy since #147;Dr. Strangelove.#148; The whole premise is exceptional: incompetent criminals battle an unsuspecting widow woman, who#146;s protected by her naivety and their ineptitude.
There is, unfortunately, a fly in the mint julep. Along with the positives (a very witty premise and script, brilliant comic performances by Hanks and Hall, and several toe-taping southern gospel tunes sprinkled throughout), this remake has sadly taken on a modern-day nastiness by incorporating excessive coarse and irreverent language. With at least 20 uses of God#146;s name followed by a curse and over 100 extreme obscenities, the Coen brothers have given this droll comedy a 21st-century harshness that#146;s downright mean-spirited.
One of the thieves, portrayed by Marlon Wayans, can#146;t seem to form a simple declarative sentence without incorporating the use of the f-word #150; or worse. I understand that his language is a descriptive element of his character, but it is a clicheacute;d element, one that makes the black actor appear to be as cartoonish as the #145;40s African-American actor, Stepin Fetchit.
I could have accepted the obscenity as character development, although it doesn#146;t do much to develop Mr. Wayans role, it merely becomes annoying, but I will not adjust my thinking when it comes to the acceptance of profaning God#146;s name. Hearing it over and over sends out negative messages #150; his use of blasphemy doesn#146;t just show the character#146;s ignorance, it also declares that the actor has no regard for those it may offend, nor a fear of the Almighty.
What a shame. This should be a classic. I was enjoying the wit, the music and the performances thoroughly, but the incessant brutal language began to grieve my spirit.R (Though a very funny farce, it contains an endless stream of profanity and obscenity, with one black character using the N-word several times. There are a few minor sexual references. The violence is played for laughs, consisting of several deaths, each caused by ne#146;er-do-wells upon members of their own gang #150; sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident. The humor, though very funny, is very dark, including violent imagery.)
Clarification: If you#146;re asking, #147;Phil, you#146;re saying this is the funniest movie you#146;ve seen in a long time. So, am I supposed to go, or not?#148; By declaring my appreciation for this film#146;s wit, I am attempting to be fair and balanced in my analysis of the filmmaker#146;s efforts. But the more inclined we become to following God#146;s principles, avoiding this film should be an easy call.
In both the Old and New Testaments, we are instructed not to profane or speak harshly. #147;But I#146;m not going to start talking like that just because I hear it in a movie.#148; Well, if we aren#146;t supposed to talk that, then is God pleased with our supporting entertainment that does?
In a way, I#146;d like to see a quality film fail at the box office. Then moviemakers will be forced to ask, #147;Why didn#146;t this work?#148; Perhaps they will realize that they insulted their audience.
When an artist exposed herself on the Super Bowl, arrogantly pushing the limits of taste and propriety, America negatively responded, believing the woman had gone too far. Isn#146;t showing irreverence to God equally offensive? Not to the world. Using God#146;s name followed by a curse is meaningless to those who do not regard God or His Word. When we protest actions that deny the Lord#146;s sovereignty, we are taking a stand. We are announcing that we believe in a higher power and will show Him respect.
Forgive the sermon, but I#146;m hearing all too often, #147;I just ignore that language.#148; Fine, but the bottom line in Tinseltown is the almighty buck. Our silence can only be seen as acceptance. Thus Hollywood#146;s shame becomes ours.
Vid. Alt.
The Ladykillers
. The 1955 British version with Alec Guinness, Herbert Lom, and Peter Sellers is a hoot. Lacking the crude language of the remake, it settles for wit and snappy storytelling. Alec Guinness and his gang are just as hysterical.
DEFINITIONS
Crudity
- A word or action lacking in culture, tact
Expletive
- A mild obscenity or needless expression
Obscenity
- Objectionable or repugnant to acceptable standards of decency or morality; indecent; pornographic
Profanity
- Irreverence toward God
Blasphemy
- To speak contemptuously of God
Adult subject matter
- Situations or subjects unsuitable for or difficult to comprehend by children
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. "Know Before You Go" reg;Philip Boatwright, Editor Film/Video Reviews from a Family Perspective, Email:
moviereporter@sbcglobal.net
. Published by C. C. Publications, 835 Northstar Ct., Tonganoxie, KS 66086. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
