Posted: 04/01/2004

The Ladykillers

(2004)

by Hank Yuloff

The greatest criminal minds of our time have finally met their match.

I could have been tired. We had just seen Jersey Girl (another kick-ass Kevin Smith project) and loved it and were pumped to see The Ladykillers on our Saturday night double feature. It could have been because for weeks I had heard the hype ads saying this was an early favorite for movie of the year. It could have been that I went into this movie with such high hopes because I love Tom Hanks and generally “get it” when it comes to The Coen brothers style of movie making (Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Man Who Wasn’t There, The Big Lebowski are all wonderful movies).

So why did I only like The Ladykillers? I can’t quite put my finger on it.

The photography is superb. Roger Deakins (House of Sand and Fog, 13 Days and the three above-mentioned flicks) gives us a movie that is very visually appealing.

Hanks, though not at the top of his game (see: Saving Private Ryan, You’ve Got Mail, Philadelphia, Road to Perdition and 10 others better than this film), gives a gifted performance as Professor G.H. Dorr, a self proclaimed music professor on sabbatical who is, in actuality a bank robber out to rob a local casino. In his way stands Marva Munson, the owner of the house who’s cellar Dorr and his compatriots will tunnel into the casino vault. Munson is played wonderfully by Irma P. Hall (Miss Lettie and Me). J.K. Simmons (Hidalgo, Oz, Law and Order -TV) is quite quirky as one of the gang members. And his catch phrase will stay with you for days.

The rest of the acting is forgettable. Marlon Wayans especially seems to be auditioning for Scary Movie III.

There are some entirely tired movie plot tricks used in the film.. Most abhorrent of which is the painting of Munson’s husband which keeps changing expression depending upon the current mood of the film. Way too amateurish for the Coen brothers. The Ladykillers won’t be around for the Oscars. It’s a decent rental if you like the other Coen brother productions but not if you would pick it off the shelf for Tom Hanks. Pop this one in the DVD instead of spending any time with it in the darkened movie theater.

Hank Yuloff is a specialist in quirky… He sees it in the mirror every morning.

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