Review of The Ladykillers (2004) by Luca Z — 25 Feb 2008

I don't think the Coen Brothers are capable of making a downright terrible movie, but this is the worst of theirs I've seen. To be honest, I think the original version is slightly overrated -- I would rank it as Alexander Mackendrick's third best Ealing comedy, behind "The Man in the White Suit" and "Whiskey Galore" -- so I was completely open-minded about any fresh ideas the Coens might have brought to it.

Unfortunately, they don't make the most of the suspense potential of their one significant improvement: their decision to stage the robbery from the basement of the old lady's house. The pleasures of the film are in small but telling details, such as the cobweb on the Sheriff's cell key at the very start, or the ever-changing facial expression on the portrait of the widow's beloved husband.

Overacting is rife, but Irma P. Hall's redoubtable Big Momma is every bit as wonderful as Katy Johnson's indestructible spinster was in the original. As spouted by Tom Hanks, for once the Coens' verbose wordplay is more tedious than charming, and it's J.

K. Simmons who has most of the best lines.