Tower Heist
Director: Brett Ratner
Cast: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 104 minutes
OK, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that our old pal Eddie is back - Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, yes, the Murphy name used to mean something before fat suits and dump trucks of cash turned him into an unwatchable train wreck. Thankfully, a bit of the old spark is back in Tower Heist. Sadly, the bad news is that the kindest thing you could say about this film is that it's not entirely horrible. Although "barely watchable" is pretty much all you can ever expect from anything directed by Brett Ratner.
Ben Stiller plays his go-to straight man role as the manager of a Manhattan high-rise building. All is going well until the penthouse tenant is found having stolen everyone's pensions. Alan Alda is pretty good as the crooked investor (I believe in the press these days he would be called the one per cent). And the cast is pretty much a one-dimensional multicultural ragtag group. It should be mentioned that Gabourey Sidibe is a nice bit of air as the safe-cracking Jamaican maid.
In the end, this film is a plain sateen. Sure, it's OK but if you're not going to give it something a little extra, what's the point? But this mediocrity has to be kept in context. By the time you read this, Twilight will be out (cue the screaming women). Fellas, if you're considering clawing your eyes out to avoid shirtless teenage werewolves, just split the difference and see Tower Heist. It's probably slightly less painful.
