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Martin Thomas brings down BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE!
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Published at: March 7, 2003, 5:32 a.m. CST by staff (https://twitter.com/) Hey folks, Harry here with a very special treat. For years I've enjoyed talking with Martin Thomas about movies, geeky things and life in general, but I've never had a review by him to run on the site. I love his reviews btw, always have and frankly I dare say this'll be the finest roasting of this... particular film we'll see. So if ya like the review, drop him an e-mail and maybe we'll see more from him! BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE
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Is it March already? Dang! I missed Black History month again, and I had something really special planned this
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year. I was finally going to do my retrospective of “The Negro in Film”.
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Oh, I don’t mean just any Negro. I’m talking about those special Negroes that come from
(7 today) (/node/79749)
mystical or exotic places (usually the ghetto) to shake things up in the lives of uptight white
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people but ultimately impart to them a special wisdom that teaches them to fully live life…but
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with a little bit of “soul”.
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What better contribution could I make to African-American culture than to spotlight these
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unsung role models? Such luminaries as Sinbad, the wacky conman who teaches Phil
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Hartman the true meaning of friendship in THE HOUSEGUEST;Halle Berry, the ‘hood rat who
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schools a U.S. senator, Warren Beatty, in the inner workings of politics in BULLWORTH;
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Oscar nominee Michael Clark Duncan who proved that the next large black man you cower from just might be a magical, gentle giant with the power to cure Tom Hanks’ prostate in THE
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legendary BAGGER VANCE: An angel who descended just to help Matt Damon improve his
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golf game then danced a jig off into the sunset.
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I guess I’ll just have to save that piece until next February. Although, the one good thing
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about waiting is that I’ll also be able to include Queen Latifah as the escaped felon with the
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heart of gold in the new movie BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE.
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Steve Martin stars as Peter Sanderson, a successful tax attorney whose wife (Jean Smart)
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has left him and taken away his kids for the reprehensible crime of…
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…Alcoholism? No.
for BATGIRL!" -- 98 total posts (3 today) (/node/79736)
…Spousal abuse? No.
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…Infidelity? No.
adaptation we'll ever get of the novel. --
…Gambling away the family fortune? No.
53 total posts (3 today) (/node/79684)
… …. …(wait for it) Working too much! -Needless to say, these are the white people. Undaunted, Peter goes on with his life and even starts an Internet romance with a very sexy (according to the photo) fellow attorney. They setup to have a ‘non-virtual’ date but when Peter opens his front door standing there is not his legal blonde bombshell- but a very bodacious, very buxom and very black escaped convict named Charlene (Queen Latifah)- who happened to be in the background of the photo. She pushes her way into Peter’s house and what follows is a series of warmed-over Porky Pig/Charlie the Dog gags in which Peter unsuccessfully tries everything imaginable to extricate Charlene from his home. Well, everything except…calling the cops! Which is what any normal person would’ve done at several points throughout the film. Sure, that would’ve been the end of the movie, so instead they carry on the pretense that she’s his ghettofabulous nanny while he tries to prove her innocence. By and by she teaches Peter to relax and (say it with me) fully live life…but with a little bit of “soul”. As with most movies released the first couple months after Oscar season, everything even remotely funny in BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE is in the trailers. Eugene Levy almost offers a bright spot as Peter’s ‘jungle fevered’ best friend, whose command of Ebonics is much better than my own. But that joke runs thin pretty early on. The rest of the movie is boring and derivative, but mostly so racially offensive I left with a cramp in my lower jaw from cringing through the 105 minute running time. Not so much that all of the black people in the movie are dope-smoking, dice- rolling(!!!), unemployed lowlifes- sadly, I’m quite used to that cinematic standard. And not so much that the movie is all one long “White people do (X) like this…But black people do (X) like this…”joke- which it is. What’s shocking is how ALL white people are portrayed as being such casual overt racists. The members of Peter’s country club and law firm all but call Charlene a nigger to her face. His prized billion-dollar client (Joan Plowright) asks Charlene to help her sing an ol’ Negro spiritual at the dinner table. Even Peter inexplicable pulls out a pink maid’s uniform for her to serve dinner in. And, if this movie is to be believed, white people are able to eat spaghetti with Milk of Magnesia poured on top of it and not taste the difference. Wow! I never thought I’d live to see it, but BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE might be the first movie white people genuinely have the right to be offended by. If there’s any strawberry to pick here it’s that the movie does a good job of exploiting Queen Latifah’s non-traditional sex appeal. I relish seeing more glamorous women that don’t resemble curveless, 12-year old boys. I’m just afraid that this might be the only clue to the big question: “WHY?” Why Queen Latifah, why? Sure, Steve Martin I can understand. With his recent string of bad movies it’s obvious that the THREE AMIGOS curse has finally caught up to him as it did Martin Short and Chevy Chase long ago. And the director, Adam Shankman, is the same guy that delivered one of the worst movies of 2002, THE WEDDING PLANNER. It’s only mildly surprising that he’s gotten worse. But Queen Latifah…you?! Your name means something. You represent strong black women everywhere. Like Ice Cube, you’re much less a good actor as you are a charismatic personality…and what a personality, indeed! It garnered you a much-deserved Oscar nomination for your outstanding work in CHICAGO. Girl, you have arrived! … …Which makes this situation all the more baffling. Frankly, BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE is a movie I’d be disappointed to know you rented, let alone starred in and executive produced(!!). I think…that maybe…I don’t really want to know the answer.*sigh* Considering that there was a Civil War movie with Robert E. Lee as the hero (GODS & GENERALS) released during Black History Month, I think I might have an answer as to reason BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE was released after… Mercy. 1 out of 5 stars.
-MARTIN THOMAS (mailto:
[email protected])
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March 7, 2003, 5:42 a.m. CST
+ Expand All
trailer by stvnhthr
March 7, 2003, 5:52 a.m. CST
The curse of the Three Amigos? by Heleno March 7, 2003, 5:57 a.m. CST
Remember when Steve Martin used to be funny? by earthworm March 7, 2003, 6:11 a.m. CST
I forgot to say - wicked review man by Heleno March 7, 2003, 6:21 a.m. CST
Sorry NavyDavy by earthworm
March 7, 2003, 6:56 a.m. CST
Does anyone know what's going on with Shopgirl at the moment? by KID AB March 7, 2003, 7:08 a.m. CST
Robin William's rap routine by Grand Digital March 7, 2003, 8:31 a.m. CST
Couldn't he mean that "working too much" is a silly reason to en by JTylor March 7, 2003, 8:32 a.m. CST
White people have names like Lenny, while Black people have name by Wesley Snipes March 7, 2003, 8:42 a.m. CST
Dear Mr. Steve Martin: THREE AMIGOS II, pretty please with sugar by SnapT March 7, 2003, 9:01 a.m. CST
Great Review by the Diabolical Dr. Martin by Aquatarkusman March 7, 2003, 9:18 a.m. CST
At least they spell "the" right in title of the film. by Cruel Shoes March 7, 2003, 9:38 a.m. CST
"It's true..." by AnyaOrmsby
March 7, 2003, 9:55 a.m. CST
yup, it's stupid and offensive, BUT... by TV CASUALTY March 7, 2003, 10:01 a.m. CST
This movie sucks harder than fettastic's catwoman by IAmCameronCooke March 7, 2003, 10:16 a.m. CST
It would be silly to deny a difference between blacks and whites by AnyaOrmsby March 7, 2003, 10:24 a.m. CST
OH NO!!! White people getting offended by a movie!!! by Moe Syzslak March 7, 2003, 10:28 a.m. CST
Okay, my guess is this here's the singing bush. by Vegas March 7, 2003, 10:38 a.m. CST
Hollywood gets it right? by barkalounger
March 7, 2003, 10:56 a.m. CST
Bravo, Martin! Great review. by robogeek.com March 7, 2003, 10:58 a.m. CST
I'm not used to reading a review of such high quality here on AI by Uncle Sam March 7, 2003, 11:12 a.m. CST
Vegas, there's nothing to be ashamed of... by Moe Syzslak March 7, 2003, 11:16 a.m. CST
at least you're in good company by MiltonWaddams March 7, 2003, 11:18 a.m. CST
Damn, let's see some more of that by 007-11 March 7, 2003, 11:18 a.m. CST
Does that make the Rush Hour series a cultural milestone? by Wesley Snipes March 7, 2003, 11:24 a.m. CST
Brass, I think I see the source of our disagreement... by Moe Syzslak March 7, 2003, 11:44 a.m. CST
Christ Brass, ya had me worried for a second there... by Moe Syzslak March 7, 2003, 12:03 p.m. CST
White/Black Comedies by filmnazi
March 7, 2003, 12:14 p.m. CST
Stan, Stan, Stan... by Huneybee
March 7, 2003, 12:16 p.m. CST
Stereotypes by filmnazi
March 7, 2003, 12:16 p.m. CST
spearhead? chuck d? eminem? by eau hellz gnaw March 7, 2003, 12:28 p.m. CST
White people are usually named Lenny...Black people are usually by furnace404 March 7, 2003, 12:30 p.m. CST
Tent Lott was right! by filmnazi
March 7, 2003, 12:35 p.m. CST
CURSE!!!! by Homer Fong
March 7, 2003, 12:37 p.m. CST
I'm not that gullible... by Huneybee
March 7, 2003, 12:45 p.m. CST
Very true, Stan... by Huneybee
March 7, 2003, 12:46 p.m. CST
My vague interpretation of the situation by GypsyTRobot March 7, 2003, 12:47 p.m. CST
I saw a sneak preview last night . . . by brena March 7, 2003, 12:52 p.m. CST
I sadly have to say that I *somewhat* agree with Brass-Monkey he by Nordling March 7, 2003, 12:54 p.m. CST
filmnazi, you stupid fuck by 007-11 March 7, 2003, 1:12 p.m. CST
I'm sure you'll find someone... by Huneybee March 7, 2003, 1:29 p.m. CST
Filmnazi, you're so off base you're in the dugout. by Vegas March 7, 2003, 2:08 p.m. CST
FillibusterFett by AnyaOrmsby
March 7, 2003, 2:10 p.m. CST
Why are black people always so angry? by Ribbons March 7, 2003, 2:15 p.m. CST
You want balls? by ChickenGeorgeVII
March 7, 2003, 2:24 p.m. CST
Boyz-N-the-Hood? Bah! by Ribbons March 7, 2003, 2:55 p.m. CST
Spike Lee did make it , and it was great... by Kraken March 7, 2003, 2:56 p.m. CST
Fett, give Facer another chance. by UBanMe,I Cry March 7, 2003, 3:01 p.m. CST
Fett on Boyzby AnyaOrmsby
March 7, 2003, 3:09 p.m. CST
spike lee said it better... by killamajig March 7, 2003, 3:54 p.m. CST
To be fair by Ribbons
March 7, 2003, 4:22 p.m. CST
Seriously, these are the types of flicks that sell by Terry_1978 March 7, 2003, 4:30 p.m. CST
Jesus people, do some homework... by TV CASUALTY March 7, 2003, 4:35 p.m. CST
Uptight White People Unite!!! Racial humor IS funny! So is thi by Hagrid1 March 7, 2003, 4:35 p.m. CST
God, Fett... by TV CASUALTY
March 7, 2003, 4:37 p.m. CST
Urinal Cake... by TV CASUALTY
March 7, 2003, 4:50 p.m. CST
Terry_1978 by Ribbons
March 7, 2003, 4:53 p.m. CST
However by Ribbons
March 7, 2003, 5:05 p.m. CST
Three Amigos II starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and DMX as th by Moriarity Report March 7, 2003, 5:34 p.m. CST
Wow this TB went from piss-pants hilarious to sobering by GypsyTRobot March 7, 2003, 6:16 p.m. CST
Another bad "black" comedy by totemscrotum March 7, 2003, 6:16 p.m. CST
Can't wait for Head of State. . . by McCormic March 7, 2003, 6:33 p.m. CST
I haven't laughed this hard at a review on AICN in months it fee by EL Duderino March 7, 2003, 7:24 p.m. CST
Who needs Fett on Facer.net anyway? by facer2 March 7, 2003, 7:32 p.m. CST
they didn't used to give negroes those roles... by peter1a March 7, 2003, 7:51 p.m. CST
and will someone please tell "urinalcake" to go away until he le by peter1a March 7, 2003, 8:52 p.m. CST
Go rent Baby Boy by liljuniorbrown
March 7, 2003, 8:58 p.m. CST
In defense of Robert E. Lee... by jorson2 March 7, 2003, 9:05 p.m. CST
everybody just shut up by showmethemoney
March 7, 2003, 10:05 p.m. CST
Right by joshee1003
March 8, 2003, 12:22 a.m. CST
This review is all wrong... by shady73 March 8, 2003, 12:28 a.m. CST
The review by WayOutWest
March 8, 2003, 2:11 p.m. CST
What noone has said yet... by ColonelAngus March 8, 2003, 2:17 p.m. CST
Colonel Angus is going down... by ColonelAngus March 8, 2003, 9:07 p.m. CST
Hmmmm.... by Huneybee
March 8, 2003, 9:31 p.m. CST
What Lewis, Im not good enough for your stupid motherfuck list? by IAmCameronCooke March 8, 2003, 9:49 p.m. CST
"girly"? by Huneybee
March 9, 2003, 4:52 p.m. CST
Every Day is White Pride Day in the US by WayOutWest
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