Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy Deliver In “Tower Heist”

By Gabrielle Adelle, Courtesy The Young Folks

Brett Ratner may not have the best track record, which is probably why there is a lot of cynicism surrounding this movie. I even went into the screening unsure if I should expect something funny. But you know what, folks, “Tower Heist” was funny and entertaining, and on top of that, timely.

“Tower Heist” starts when a hard-working upscale Manhattan residential building staff fall victim for the penthouse owner’s Ponzi scheme. The staff led by Josh (Ben Stiller) start to work together to steal back the money that Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) stole from them. Josh enlists the help of a criminal named Slide (Eddie Murphy) to teach him and his team how to successfully steal $20 million. Josh’s team consists of his brother-in-law, Charlie (Casey Affleck), a former Wall Street broker, Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), the new elevator guy, Enrique (Michael Peña), and maid Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe). All the while, Josh tries to get important information out of and avoid FBI investigator, Claire (Téa Leoni).

“Tower Heist” has a pretty simple plot setup, and Ratner and co. found a way to execute it pretty well. The cast is great. They’re all in sync; the comedy bounces off each other well. Eddie Murphy is hilarious. He might be the funniest of the cast, but he doesn’t act over-the-top or try to hog up all the comedy. Affleck, Broderick, and especially Peña and Sidibe, offer some great comedic moments. Also, the plot is timely; it works right in with the current Occupy Wall Street protests. We watch a good, hard-working individuals try to bring justice to a situation a very unfair and illegal situation. (Not that I condone stealing. Unless you go to the lengths that these guys go through to steal the money, well… then maybe you deserve it. lol)

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a good PG-13 comedy. These days, most comedies are going the R-Rated route, and that just seems to be a competition on what will gross out audiences more. “Tower Heist” is worth giving a chance. Don’t let the Ratner or the cast deter you from wanting to see it. It’s formulaic, but it’s so fun and entertaining! And I must admit, I’m looking forward to Eddie Murphy hosting the Brett Ratner-produced Oscars next year!

Tower Heist comes out in theaters this Friday, November 4th.