Barnes & Noble

This unabashedly raucous comedy represents a triumphant return to form for Steve Martin, whose recent film work has been uneven at best. He's in fine fettle here as a lonely divorcee shocked to learn that he’s been conducting an Internet romance with an African-American ex-convict (Queen Latifah) trying to prove her innocence. When Latifah unexpectedly shows up on Martin’s doorstep, the upper-middle-class lawyer ties himself in knots trying to conceal her true identity from his kids, clients, and -- above all -- his still-devoted ex-wife (Jean Smart). The plot becomes almost absurdly complicated (and progressively less credible), but that doesn’t matter a bit: Martin, Latifah, and the rest of the cast keep this House tidy by virtue of their enthusiastic trouping. The erstwhile "wild and crazy guy" reminds us once again what a facile performer he is; very few comic actors handle verbal and visual comedy equally well, but Martin certainly belongs to that select fraternity. Latifah, whose work in this film and Chicago is nothing short of revelatory, more than holds her own in scenes with her impressively talented costar. The supporting players also are uniformly excellent, the standouts being Eugene Levy (as one of Martin’s coworkers), Missi Pyle (as Smart’s bitchy sister), and Joan Plowright (as the dotty dowager whose business Martin hopes to secure). Director Adam Shankman (The Wedding Planner) is a former choreographer, and it shows: He whisks his characters through their scenes with deceptive simplicity, executing gags with perfect timing and maintaining a rapid pace. His camera doesn’t move ostentatiously, and it always captures action from the most advantageous angles. Bringing Down the House is an expertly directed movie, but it’s the cast that makes it so gloriously funny -- even when it gets almost too silly for words. It marks a great comedic comeback for Martin and represents a milestone in Latifah’s burgeoning screen career. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A man looking for a woman just like himself ends up with someone quite different in this farcical comedy. Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) is a lawyer who is having trouble getting his life back on track after his wife, Kate (Jean Smart), divorces him; he's also adjusting to his new status as a single father. Looking for companionship, Peter tries an internet dating site and virtually meets "lawyer-girl," an attractive and single fellow attorney. Peter makes a date with her, but the woman who arrives at his door turns out to be Charlene Morton (Queen Latifah), who not only isn't a lawyer, she turns out to be an escaped convict. Charlene is also a brash and brassy African-American, while Peter is perhaps the most tightly wound white guy in L.A. Charlene explains to Peter that she's strung him along because she's innocent of the crime for which she was convicted, and she needs a top-notch attorney to help prove her case. Peter isn't the least bit interested at first, but Charlene isn't the sort of woman to take "no" for an answer, and in time she wears him down and agrees to help. As Charlene moves into Peter's home, she helps him to loosen up and unleash his inner groove, which quite surprises Kate, and her down-to-earth advice comes in handy for Peter's son and daughter. But Charlene may end up going too far when Peter is asked to entertain Mrs. Arness (Joan Plowright), a wealthy woman looking for a new law firm. Bringing Down the House also features Eugene Levy as Howie, one of Peter's friends who takes a keen interest in Charlene, and Betty White as one of Peter's neighbors. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 786936208009
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: Pan & Scan
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Time: 1:45:00
• Sales Rank: 44,848

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Bringing down the House (2003) & Houseguest

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