Bringing Down the House (2003)
I don’t really know what’s worse: the premise or the theme of the humor in Bringing Down the House. The premise is a divorced lawyer starts dating again and sets up a blind date with an internet flirtation. When the woman shows up and he’s not physically attracted to her, she then helps him loosen up with the goal of winning back his wife. If he wanted his wife back, why was he starting to date again? Why did he set up a romantic liaison at his apartment complete with champagne and a pretty obvious intention that, had he found her attractive, he’d want to end their date in the bedroom?
The theme of the humor is, in essence, racism. Steve Martin is the divorced lawyer, and Queen Latifah shows up at his door. I love Queen Latifah! Why would he immediately be disappointed when she showed up on his doorstep with a sparkling smile and a bubbling attitude? Steve finds out Queenie is an ex-con, and while explaining her case, she speaks in Ebonics and Steve doesn’t even understand what she’s talking about. She’s a free spirit and as she helps him loosen up, he ends up dressing like a “gangsta” and using bad grammar. Steve’s pal, Eugene Levy, serves as the comic relief who believes in colorblind love. He wants to strike up a romance with Queenie, and to show he’s hip enough to pursue her, he also speaks in Ebonics.
If you love Queenie, like I do, you’ll want to watch all her movies, right? You’ll get some laughs out of this one, but it’s not the most politically correct comedy out there. My favorite is Beauty Shop, so you might want to have that one on hand afterwards.
More Queen Latifah movies here!
More Steve Martin movies here!
The theme of the humor is, in essence, racism. Steve Martin is the divorced lawyer, and Queen Latifah shows up at his door. I love Queen Latifah! Why would he immediately be disappointed when she showed up on his doorstep with a sparkling smile and a bubbling attitude? Steve finds out Queenie is an ex-con, and while explaining her case, she speaks in Ebonics and Steve doesn’t even understand what she’s talking about. She’s a free spirit and as she helps him loosen up, he ends up dressing like a “gangsta” and using bad grammar. Steve’s pal, Eugene Levy, serves as the comic relief who believes in colorblind love. He wants to strike up a romance with Queenie, and to show he’s hip enough to pursue her, he also speaks in Ebonics.
If you love Queenie, like I do, you’ll want to watch all her movies, right? You’ll get some laughs out of this one, but it’s not the most politically correct comedy out there. My favorite is Beauty Shop, so you might want to have that one on hand afterwards.
More Queen Latifah movies here!
More Steve Martin movies here!