Bringing down the house, 2003

Bringing down the house, 2003
Director: Adam Shankman
Cast: Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy



Stage: home theatre, Sunday evening, randomly chosen


Bringing down the house in short: Peter Sanderson is a divorced, straight-laced, uptight attorney who still loves his ex-wife and can't figure out what he did wrong to make her leave him. However, Peter's trying to move on, and he's smitten with a brainy, bombshell barrister he's been chatting with online. However, when she comes to his house for their first face-to-face, she isn't refined, isn't Ivy League, and isn't even a lawyer. Instead, it's Charlene, a prison escapee who's proclaiming her innocence and wants Peter to help her clear her name. But Peter wants nothing to do with her, prompting the loud and shocking Charlene to turn Peter's perfectly ordered life upside down, jeopardizing his effort to get back with his wife and woo a billion dollar client.


Preps: well, nothing more exciting to do on a Sunday night, plus I am a bit tired. This was on my list a while ago, however I need something sweet and relaxing. I know this one will be no brainer for my cells.


Reality: Well, true to the last bit. It is no brainer. You need no cells to burn. Easy and simple to understand, filled with some sit com moments, no smart laughing, but fun.
It's amazing how Queen Latifah can wear so many clothes in such various colours, that would never fit a rounded lady, but she looks hot in them. I could call this a special Queen Latifah genre, as these movies that contain her, are very similar. She is either a cop, a detective, a baby sitter, a criminal(name the profession), she always has a guy besides (more or less attractive) and makes a "cool" impression. You get to learn the cool vibes, the cool language.. so you feel equipped to go under the hood and in one of those districts.

As said from starters, it's not a specifically intelectual piece. And it's not even trying to be. It has the energy and the moves, it has the good music that makes you want to dance all night long and it has humour that relaxes you. Plus, in this perticular piece we have the privilege to see Dear John again, which is also the plus of it. I haven't seen this guy ever since, so I am quite excited about this.
Now, being Queen Latifah is something, but trying to copy her is another. This is why Martin looks like an idiot when trying to do it. Joan Plowright from The Golden Girls is another addition to this movie and she casts a strange old lady that is a good flavour to this movie.

It gives second thoughts to our prejudice we carry in our inside. Are people really what they seem to be or is it on us to discover their innerself, may it be good or bad. And how much that prejudice influences our decisions? Would a lawyer from a good family really take a convict under his roof? Don't really think so. Would this same person really change everything he knows or stood for? Also, not really likely. But in this piece, it is shown in the most humorous way. As I am against most of movies Queen Latifah plays in for the same reason (find the humour really stupid and underestimating to the viewer), I need to admit that this piece is above the average in this made-up genre. Entertaining, but not really profound.


My personal grade: 5,0 ( a cute comedy to have on a Sunday night).


Bringing on IMDB