Starring: Tom Hanks
Cert: 15
Released:25th June 2004
An eclectic band of men have
devised the perfect crime to acquire $1.6 million but because of their character
differences, the resultant clashes and external elements things don’t quite go
to plan.
One particular disruptive element
is the seemingly harmless, aged widow who owns the house from which the deviants
have made their base of operations. She is nosey, belligerent, domineering and
devoutly religious but is needed to believe in their charades to allow them the
time to set up and carry out the caper. When things come to a head it is decided
that the old girl needs to be removed and hence the eponymous title.
This is not an adaptation or
updated version (a la The Italian
Job) of the 1955 Ealing Comedy; aside from the deep-south accents and ethnic
diversity of the cast this is a
direct remake. Hanks has comedy dentures and plays the over-educated, evil charm
and flashing eyes with camp aplomb as did Alec Guinness in the original. The
amount of money and source has been updated, and the ‘Lady’ is now more forceful
than her twee predecessor but the crew, plot and climax remain the same.
This is a funny film in its own right; it has
some brilliant set pieces and excellent performances but I just expected a bit
more from the Coens. Intolerable
Cruelty was funny but nothing special; O Brother was funny and different; are
they out of innovative ideas?
I loved the original version of
Ladykillers and this version held no
real surprises or alternatives. It seemed like another
UK
gem remade
for a US audience who either don’t know about the source or don’t
care.
