*** Official "BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE" Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Bringing Down The House". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

This film is not for everyone's taste especially due to the extreme racial stereotypes, but I laughed loud and often throughout the film. The plot was silly and some of the dialogue was darn right offensive, but the film was funny to me and I had a great time watching it. If you're easily offended by racial caricatures then this film should not be on your viewing list. However, if you like films that lampoon such stereotypes and racial situations then perhaps this comedy will work for you.





Crawdaddy

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Now that there is an official review thread, my earlier comments more appropriately belong in this thread:

Bringing Down The House brings together a collection of characters that can be funny and offensive at the same time – but mostly, the latter. At one point in the film, I was wondering whether there is such a place on earth where these collective characters actually breathe and live as they do things for no rhyme or reason and mostly only to garner some laughs. But some of the jokes that were meant to be funny were actually mean-spirited.

The film puts racial stereotypes as the centerpiece for its humor. And in an attempt to make it an equal opportunity offender across racial divides, there is a subplot about an heiress and another involving a young white woman who is after older men and their money. Both are not funny.

There are some moments in the film however, that produce some genuine laughs including a scene where Steve Martin dresses up in ghetto gear and goes into an urban bar. But overall, these comical scenes with Martin were far and few in between that, in the end, they play out more like routines from a stand up act. In addition, some of the film’s better lines have already been compiled and revealed in the trailer that is currently making its rounds.

Having seen this at a complimentary studio screening, that’s about the extent of how much I would recommend investing in this film or better yet, just skip it altogether even on video. Its writing is not one of its better assets and neither are its crass jokes.

~Edwin

Edited: For a typo.

 

[Patrick Sun]

This film is no masterpiece in terms of the comedy genre, but it delivers enough laughs to be entertaining. I didn't really find the racial humor all that offensive, but I could understand it if this is not funny to others. The crowd I saw it with did not find most of the comedy offensive, rather, they had fun with the whole package.

The film starts slow (the trailers give away most of the setup), but as the film rolls along, there are quite a few scenes that are amusing and provoke some good belly laughs.

Like most decent comedies, you'll get more comedic mileage if you go see it with a crowd. Both Steve Martin and Queen Latifah use the "fish out of water" concept and milk it for a lot of laughs.

I give it 3 stars or a grade of B.

 

[DianeR]

I saw Bringing Down the House on Saturday and thought it was the funniest movie I've seen in ages. Queen Latifah is a favorite of mine, and she was superb as always. The racial situation was played for laughs, but there wasn't anything really offensive about it. Before the movie was shot, Queen La herself made some changes so that it wouldn't be. It's an entertaining, feel-good movie.