Review of The Ladykillers (2004) by Ian W — 16 Sep 2011

Hugely underrated. An ensemble of criminals, all led by and recruited by The Professor (Tom Hanks), hatch a plan to rob a casino blind. It's a foolproof plan, but the elderly lady (Irma P. Hall), whose house they are using to helm the caper, proves to be a more formidable antagonist than originally imagined.

The only reason I can think of on why this wasn't received better by critics (and in their defense, I still haven't gotten around to seeing the 1955 original) is because that it is a Coen brothers movie that doesn't go for the throat as much as their previous works have.

I enjoy the hell out of it, because it is the Coens doing what they do best: creating eccentric, memorable characters and placing them in situations that allow for them to have great exchanges of very quotable dialogue.

It's an odd combination of dark and mild, but that's not a bad thing. It's all about the characters; Tom Hanks is great, J.K. Simmons is great, even Marlon Wayans is great. It makes me laugh out loud and I never mind revisiting this one; I actually just watched it for my fourth time and it still cracks me up.

The music is really good too; not as good as it is in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, but it is in the same ballpark. It's a tame romp, but still a thoroughly enjoyable one.