Review of The Ladykillers (2004) by Jacob G — 27 Dec 2010

From many directors The Ladykillers would be a worthwhile film. From The Coen Bros, this is a definite downstep from their usual excellence. Part of the problem is that it feels like it is trying to re-capture the awesomeness of O Brother Where Art Thou, what with the southern feel and the bluesy gospel music (which is different from the bluegrassy gospel music.

.. but not so much), and the focus on crime and criminality and all that jazz. Even the character banter, which feels so fresh in O Brother--and most other Coen Bros films--lacks pretty significantly. Still, many of the characters themselves work well--particularly J.

K. Simmons and Tzi Ma who both deliver great performances as Hanks' lackeys. Perhaps equally impressive is how the actors manage to act a relatively believable character without resorting to the tired-and-true.

There are only a few moments where Tom Hanks feels like Tom Hanks. Similarly, Simmons is rarely identifiable as Simmons. Part of the reason is that the Coens make the Ladykillers' world so caricatured that the extreme characters presented don't really feel out of place.

The Ladykillers is worth a one-time viewing, particularly for Coen Bros fans, but not a movie that sticks with the viewer the way many of their films do.