英文影评: 师奶杀手 The Ladykillers review by David Nusair

英文影评: 师奶杀手 The Ladykillers review by David Nusair  
师奶杀手,The Ladykillers

 

The Ladykillers presumably marks the final installment in the Coen brothers' "leading-men-who-talk-funny" trilogy, following O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty. Stepping into George Clooney's shoes this time around is Tom Hanks, who's apparently based his character on Foghorn Leghorn. Longtime fans of the Coen's will probably be disappointed by The Ladykillers, which is admittedly quite entertaining but instantly forgettable.

 

Based on the Alec Guiness film of the same name, the movie casts Hanks as Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, III - a slick and ingratiating shyster who's devised an ingenious plan for ripping off a nearby casino boat. The scheme, which involves tunneling to the underground repository that holds the ship's money, requires Dorr to become a tenant of a sassy old black woman named Mrs. Munson (Irma P. Hall). Along with his crew - Garth Pancake (J.K. Simmons), The General (Tzi Ma), Lump Hudson (Ryan Hurst), and Gawain McSam (Marlon Wayans) - Dorr begins preparing the heist, while keeping Mrs. Munson in the dark regarding their true intentions (accomplished vis-à-vis fake band practice).

 

One's ability to enjoy The Ladykillers is directly proportionate to one's willingness to accept the incredibly broad performances. Hanks, in particular, seems to be having a lot of fun in this role; Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, III is probably the most outrageous and comical character the actor has ever played in his long and varied career. The role is played solely for laughs, and Hanks does a fantastic job of spouting the increasingly absurd dialogue.

 

The same is true of the supporting performances, particularly J.K. Simmons' Garth Pancake - a man who, the first time we see him, accidentally kills a dog by forcing it to wear a faulty gas mask (it's funnier than it sounds, believe me). Sporting a handlebar mustache and some kind of safari outfit, Simmons seems to be competing with Hanks in terms of stealing scenes; likewise, the rest of the Dorr's gang is comprised of equally over-the-top characters. Clearly, we're not meant to take any of this seriously.

 

The storyline is expectedly dark, with Joel and Ethan Coen (sharing a directorial credit for the first time in their careers) bringing their usual blacker-than-coal sense of humor to the proceedings. Though the film's not exactly laugh-out-loud funny, the majority of the jokes are (at least) amusing - more than one can say for most contemporary comedies. And while the movie remains eminently watchable throughout, the film never becomes much more than that; there's nothing terribly memorable or noteworthy going on here (well, aside from the aforementioned off-the-wall performances).

 

As a heist movie, The Ladykillers doesn't really deliver. But that's not really the point; true to its title, the film eventually follows Dorr and co. as they attempt to knock off Mrs. Munson. Though there's no mistaking the Coen's distinctive sense of style, this is far from their best work (ie Fargo). But for those in the mood for an all-too-rare black comedy, The Ladykillers should fit the bill.

 

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