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Amazon.co.uk Review
The pleasingly contrasting comic styles of Queen Latifah and Steve Martin bring some energy to Bringing Down the House, an otherwise hopelessly formulaic comedy. Martin plays Peter, an uptight lawyer too obsessed with work to spend quality time with his kids. Into his life comes Queen Latifah as Charlene, an escaped convict who threatens to wreck his relationship with a wealthy but arch-conservative client (Joan Plowright, in high dudgeon) if Peter won't take up her case. Of course, Latifah's exuberant ways enchant his kids and bring out a looser, livelier side of Peter, all in a series of scenes so standard they hardly register. Thank goodness for Eugene Levy; as one of Peter's law partners with a taste for Charlene's bodacious brand of sexy, Levy's ingenious transformation from nebbish to loverman is the movie's secret weapon, stealthily planting comic explosions amidst the modest rice-krispie-crackle of the stale plot. --Bret Fetzer
DVD Description
The hilarious Steve Martin (Father of the Bride) and Academy Award nominated Queen Latifah (Chicago) star in the blockbuster, laugh-out-loud comedy Bringing Down The House. Peter Sanderson (Martin), a divorced, straightlaced, uptight workaholic lawyer, meets a brainy. bombshell barrister in an online chatroom and they make a date. Expecting his soul mate, he opens the door and finds himself face to face with Charlene (Latifah) – a wild and crazy soul sister who’s just escaped from prison and wants Peter to clear her name. But Peter wants absolutely nothing to do with her, and that prompts Charlene to turn Peter’s perfectly ordered life totally upside down. Hysterical complications abound and Peter soon finds out he may need Charlene just as much as she needs him.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
'Bringing Down The House' teams together Steve Martin with Queen Latifah, and the result is a pretty predictable but pleasant enough comedy.
Martin plays an uptight lawyer who lives in a wealthy suburban area, he's divorced and has two kids. Under the pseudonym 'Legaleagle', he meets Charlene, a.k.a. 'Lawyer-girl' in a chatroom. Charlene sends a picture of herself as a leggy blonde, and Martin is unpleasantly surprised when Latifah shows up on his doorstep, and it turns out she was in the photo - being taken away by the police in the background! Charlene needs Peter (Steve Martin - i think that's his name!) to clear her name, and what results is actually a quite touching comedy, featuring star turns from not only Martin and Latifah, but also from Missi Pyle (Josie and the Pussycats) and Eugene Levy (American Pie series), who add more to the comic value of the film.
There are many references to racial differences within the film but they're not unpleasant as some people make them out to be. The film could have been a lot, lot better (blame the writers, not the actors), but it gets four stars just because it's a nice way to spend an afternoon! But don't buy if you expect to be rolling on the floor laughing.
Martin plays an uptight lawyer who lives in a wealthy suburban area, he's divorced and has two kids. Under the pseudonym 'Legaleagle', he meets Charlene, a.k.a. 'Lawyer-girl' in a chatroom. Charlene sends a picture of herself as a leggy blonde, and Martin is unpleasantly surprised when Latifah shows up on his doorstep, and it turns out she was in the photo - being taken away by the police in the background! Charlene needs Peter (Steve Martin - i think that's his name!) to clear her name, and what results is actually a quite touching comedy, featuring star turns from not only Martin and Latifah, but also from Missi Pyle (Josie and the Pussycats) and Eugene Levy (American Pie series), who add more to the comic value of the film.
There are many references to racial differences within the film but they're not unpleasant as some people make them out to be. The film could have been a lot, lot better (blame the writers, not the actors), but it gets four stars just because it's a nice way to spend an afternoon! But don't buy if you expect to be rolling on the floor laughing.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
is it just me or is Steve Martin only funny when he plays the straight guy. It seems that he and Eddie Murphy both suffer the same fate, whenever they try to play the buffoon, the funny guy they fail. But play the straight role and they excell. This movie is a very funny and enjoyable romp. Meaningless fun. A laugh out loud. A two thumbs up ! (sic ed!). and oh yeah Queen Latifah is baaad. She is taking Hollywood by storm. Great to see a women who is not a size 10 getting some class roles...
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I watched this film mainly because i love steve martin and generally think he can do no wrong in terms of the films he stars in. However, I would have to say that in this film, eugene levy steals the limelight. Ok so he's basically playing jim's dad (American pie 1, 2, 3) again but he does it so well. Hearing a sensible looking middle aged white man chatting up a hip young black woman by talking in an over exagerrated hip hop stylee is hysterical. My favourite scene is when he and queen latifa's character exchange the dialogue; him "You got me straight tripping boo", her "you are some kinda crazy"!
Don't get me wrong, steve martin does shine especially in the scene where his daughter is relaying the events of a party that a dad just doesn't want to hear. Following latifa's character's advice to stay cool to gain her trust, he bites his tongue and instead of going mad, says, "That was SOME party"!
The plot is a bit weak but the character's and crazy stuff that happen more than make up for it.
Don't get me wrong, steve martin does shine especially in the scene where his daughter is relaying the events of a party that a dad just doesn't want to hear. Following latifa's character's advice to stay cool to gain her trust, he bites his tongue and instead of going mad, says, "That was SOME party"!
The plot is a bit weak but the character's and crazy stuff that happen more than make up for it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
a good sense of humour is required.
You will enjoy this film if you know how to laugh at youself. My family and I had fun watching to the point of tear laughs
Published 1 month ago by Gem
Great film
Although it's not a recent film, we watched this on a cold night while on vacation, it was one of the funniest films I have seen in a long time, can't remember laughing so much in... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Diana
Different but great
'Bringing down the house' is very different at times than other comedies but saying that, it is still a great film and laugh, also very enjoyable. Read more
Published 3 months ago by jwest
What a laugh!
Steve Martin and Queen Latifa? what comedy. This is definitely worth a watch and the characters are so incredibly funny. Read more
Published 6 months ago by mez
OK
This product came a bit late but the seller kept to all its business values. Very clean, good and well kept. Thanks
Published 15 months ago by PM
Very funny film.
Iloved it,both characters were very funny and the timing was second to none in all the comedy situations. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mrs. J. CAMPION
Cheesy Black Comedy
Personally I don't like Black comedies. I find most of them patronizing and sometimes racist.
Predictable, exagerated, and boring.
Predictable, exagerated, and boring.
Published on 13 April 2010 by Djinga
Just A Bit Of Fun!
When you look at Steve Martins track record for comedy films; Cheaper By The Dozen, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Parenthood, and Planes Trains & Automobiles, you know that this film is... Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2004 by no1filmaddict
Fantastic opertuntiy. Wasted.
First of all the idea for the film is very good! and has a fantastic story line, however simply isnt very funny. Good acting in it, but just not that funny. Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2004 by "imarealidiot"
Abysmal
Attempting to have all the typical elements of a modern American comedy ( lawyer- family problems- appearance of crazy female- final realization that he really loves his kids etc. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2004
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