jetbluefan1's Full Review: Bringing Down the House
Last night we decided to make this the 3rd week in a row of going out to the movies. Yes, yes - I love movies, and so does my wife. So we called up two friends and told them to meet us at Jack Astor’s. After that, we planned on going to see Bringing Down The House at the Regal nearby. The shows were playing every 30-40 minutes so we were bound to catch one no matter what time it was! This was the second day it was out in theaters, so as expected, the theater was packed with people. I love it when there are many people in the theater since there are a lot of laughs during the funny parts (and this movie was funny!)
Lead Actor & Actress
Of course, we all know Steve Martin, one of the most famous actors of all-time. He’s played in Planes, Trains, & Automobiles, Father Of The Bride 1&2, Roxanne, Three Amigos, and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid. He’s also hosted the Oscar Academy Awards. Steve Martin is definitely a tie with Jim Carey for my favorite actor of all-time. Steve Martin is the lead actor in Bringing Down The House - he plays Peter.
Queen Latifah is the lead actress in Bringing Down The House - she plays Charlene. Queen Latifah has played in the new movie Chicago and Brown Sugar. Her real name is Dana Owens and made a rap called Wrath of My Madness made for equality toward African Americans.
The Story
Peter, a lawyer, is a divorced single who now lives in his beautiful home in Los Angeles. He has two children, one boy and one girl. The boy is about eight, and the girl is 15. One night he is talking to a lady online and sets a blind date up with her. He thought it would be a beautiful blond that was skinny and well dressed, but Peter gets the exact opposite.
As Peter opens the door for his blind date, he sees Charlene outside smiling and she shakes her head from side to side like she’s listening to music. “What’s up my homie?” Of course, Peter is surprised and thinks that he’s dreaming - he was expecting everything to be different and couldn’t believe he got....this - a lady who didn’t have blond hair and wasn’t exactly skinny.
After Peter kicks her out of his house, he keeps on getting stalked from Charlene and once she even throws a party at his house while he’s at work. Charlene was arrested for arm robbery at a bank but she says that she’s innocent. In the end, everything works out, but this is all before Peter has to become ghetto and has some “fun” with Charlene...hehehe.
My Thoughts
I found some parts of the movie to be very funny. There was a part where Peter had to act ghetto so he could get into a club to find who set up Charlene at the bank robbery. While he was there, a gang was around him insulting him. His come back was “I got this outfit from yo’ mama.” There are also many funny bits where Charlene is telling Peter to “get it on” with his wife or sticks up for him at his work.
This film runs for 105 minutes and is rated PG-13. In this time, the point is really gotten across that Charlene is annoying yet is outgoing and likes to have fun. Also, the PG-13 rating stands well in my book. There is some sexual contact that is inappropriate for kids under the age of 13. Also, Charlene did use a lot of foul words but they always made me laugh since she always said them in a weird way.
I loved the acting in the movie. Steve Martin did a great job acting as a clue less white guy who didn’t know anything about African Americans. He also did a good job playing the roll of a serious lawyer who wouldn’t light up without the help of Charlene. I also liked Queen Latifah’s acting. She fit the ghetto, outgoing type part very well.
All scenes in the movie are needed to make it go on. Also, some say the movie was predictable. I thought some parts were predictable, but you definitely couldn’t figure out the plot just by watching the previews. Actually, I was expecting something totally different than how the movie really turned out, but it was just as good. Actually, I was expecting it to be a bit funnier, but if I laughed any harder than the time a white lady started singing a black hymn, I would have died.
I would recommend this movie for a Saturday night date, or maybe just a day to go out with friends of the family. It can be enjoyed by anyone 12-13 years to about 60-ish. Sometimes it was a bit hard to understand since a lot of the words were like “homies” and other words that African Americans use often. But it was so funny trying to guess what they meant that I just didn’t care!
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