Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Breakinger A Brilliant Conflict

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

FlashCallahan Peter Sanderson is a divorced attorney who still loves his ex-wife and can't figure out what he did wrong to make her leave. Peter's trying to move on, and he's smitten with barrister he's been chatting to online. When she comes to his house for their first date, she isn't a lawyer. Instead, it's Charlene, a prison escapee who's proclaiming her innocence and wants Peter to help her clear her name. But Peter wants nothing to do with her, prompting Charlene to turn Peter's perfectly ordered life upside down, jeopardising his efforts to get back with his wife and win a very prolific client.....What could have been just another formulaic comedy about two people who couldn't be more opposite if they tried, is lifted from the mundane thanks to the wonderful performances from Martin, Latifah, and a scene stealing Levy, as the straight laced jive talking wannabe boyfriend.Martin has done this role a dozen times before, and here, he goes for the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it approach', and for a film like this, it's perfectly fine.It's always fun to see the atypical middle class American man become an almost nervous wreck because someone has disrupted his perfect life.And here, Latifah is that someone, and instead of making her the stereotypical loud mouth from the 'hood', the writers have rightfully made her character three dimensional, and very likable to boot.The comedy here sometimes verges on the offensive, for example, Betty Whites character is totally unnecessary as the casual racist, but obviously, the writers wanted her to be more of an ignoramus, rather than how she is depicted, and it just doesn't sit well.Plowright pops up as the potential client, and again, although she is very good, the scene when they are having dinner, stinks of casual racism.I know it's not the writers intentions to make this film quite uncomfortable at times, but the film can laugh at itself on occasion, and the chemistry between the two leads is wonderful.If your a Martin fan, this is a must, he recaptures the magic he had in the eighties, and this could be the last good thing he ever did.

Davis P Bringing Down the House (2003) starring Queen Latifah and Steve Martin is a delightful, funny comedy film. Queen Latifah really does a great job and holds her own as the lead. Steve and Latifah's chemistry is very real in this movie. There are hilarious scenes in this movie to laugh your ass off at! There's a scene with Betty White that is laugh out loud hilarious. And the dinner scene is very funny as well. I really enjoyed the funny dialogue and script. No, this movie is not funny all the time, but it is in certain moments. The movie also teaches very good messages and is sweet and heart warming. I wouldn't exactly call it completely family friendly, but it's most likely alright for 13 and up. So if your kids are in the age range, I would suggest putting it on one family movie night, and enjoying it! 7/10 for bringing down the house (2003).

Sunnyrap I heard about this film when it first came out a few years ago and gave it a wide berth. I seem to remember pretty negative reviews and the thought of the 'fun' Hollywood could have with the old culture-and-race-clash routine made me feel quite queasy. But, people, it's actually very, very good. OK, so the characters - Steve Martin's uptight white bread lawyer and Queen Latifah's wrongly-convicted-felon-from-the-hood - are drawn with very broad brush strokes. But thanks to the likability of the two leads, and a stellar supporting cast - stand up, Eugene Levy - it really works. Admittedly, I have a very broad sense of humour but there are several laugh-out-loud scenes, not least Steve Martin's wigga in the club routine and Joan Plowright's 'negro spiritual' at dinner scene. What I like about it most of all is that it's not afraid to tackle its racial stereotypes head on. Dyed-in-the-wool racists - and there are a good few in the film - don't suddenly convert by the end so there are no cheap feel-good scenes tacked on by the screenwriters to add bucks to the box office or a veneer of political correctness. Despite the stereotypes, the characters grow - for the most part - organically. Bringing down the House is what it is - a comedy verging on farce with no pretensions to anything greater - and it's not afraid to go for it. Watch and enjoy.

John E This film relied on poor quality and outdated racial stereotypes for its humour. In general, the script wasn't particularly funny and a fair bit of it bordered upon unpleasant. For example, were there, in 2003, really still neighbourhoods in the US where the sight of a black person would cause great surprise (note Betty White's contribution)? The film lacked heart and humour and was predictable throughout - I find it quite hard to believe that those involved became and remained involved on a project such as this. Final thought; about half way through the film Steve Martin mentioned a potential career to Queen Latifah but, in the end, the script writers couldn't even be bothered to give her character this. Instead they just had her doing a bit of hairdressing!! Oh dear!!