CHICAGO – The frustrating madness that is the typical Hollywood movie never ceases to amaze, in the sense where large sums of cash are outlaid to pair the right movie stars together, and not one wit is expended to create an interesting or cohesive story. “Tower Heist” is the latest example of this sad trend.
Rating: 1.5/5.0 |
Billed as a comedy, “Tower Heist” has hardly any laughs in it, close to none, and waste the talents of Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy (awkwardly reverting back to his 1980s persona) and even “Precious” star Gabourey Sidibe. It attempts to make a statement about the working class versus the wealthy, but ends up diluting it in a heist plot that could only happen in the parallel universe of moviedom.
Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) is a concerned manager of a posh luxury condo building, one of the most expensive in New York City. He directs a staff of loyal employees, including concierge Charlie (Casey Affleck), doorman Lester (Stephen Henderson), elevator attendant Enrique (Michael Peña) and service maid Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe). One of the richest residents of the complex is Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda), an investment schemer who often talks down to the staff.
The current society is showcased through this condo enclave, as Shaw is convicted of securities fraud, while a neighbor named Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick) is being foreclosed upon. When it is learned that Shaw had blown the employee pension fund and Lester’s savings as part of his crimes, manager Kovacs takes matters in his own hands by smashing a prized antique car in Shaw’s apartment. This leads to his firing, and as revenge he plots to steal cash reserves he knows are in the rich man’s apartment, recruiting Enrique, Charlie, Fitzhugh and a petty criminal named Slide (Eddie Murphy) as his cohorts.
Photo credit: Universal Pictures |
Links:
[1] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/users/hankq
[2] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/alan-alda
[3] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/ben-stiller
[4] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/brett-radner
[5] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/casey-affleck
[6] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/eddie-murphy
[7] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/gabourey-sidibe
[8] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/hollywoodchicagodotcom-content
[9] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/matthew-broderick
[10] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/michael-pena
[11] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/movie-review
[12] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/new-york-city
[13] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/patrick-mcdonald
[14] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/tea-leoni
[15] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/tower-heist
[16] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/universal-pictures
[17] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/reviews/16351/ben-stiller-in-tower-heist-is-a-waste-of-time-talent