Tower Heist (2011)

"Tower Heist" is a fun comedy about the a group of working stiffs who plot their revenge on a Wall Street swindler who has taken all their money - and has essentially gotten away with it.

So basically, the staff of The Tower, a luxury Central Park condominium, discovers the penthouse billionaire has stolen their retirement. The heartless billionaire Arthur Shaw, played by Alan Alda, proves unapologetic, and despite being investigated by the FBI, Shaw knows he's going to eventually get off scot-free (one of the perks of being one of the Wall Street "untouchables"). So, Ben Stiller's character, who has been manager of The Tower for years and cares for its staff like family, gets together a group of people to rob Shaw of the $20 million they know he is hiding somewhere in his apartment.

The movie is no "Ocean's Eleven," but the cast does provide some good laughs along the way. Most notably, I enjoyed Matthew Broderick's character, Mr. Fitzhugh - who we discover at the beginning of the movie is being evicted from his apartment at The Tower because he lost his job due to economic hard times. His character is one of those quirky, nerdy types that Broderick seems to play so well. Also, I want to give a big welcome back to Eddie Murhpy! I don't know where you went, Eddie, but it's good to see you on the big screen again, even if your character is only one dimensional. And I was pleasantly surprised by Gabourey Sidibe, who plays one of the conspirators in the scheme. I didn't know she could be funny... especially after her first role in the rather dark movie "Precious." 


For a comedy, this movie does have some heavier, more serious moments -- particularly with its timely depiction of the economic injustices of Wall Street. I was slightly surprised by that. But I think that also adds a little something. Specifically, I think it makes you want to see the demise of the corrupt billionaire even more, because you know people like him really exist, and they probably get away with stuff like this all the time. 


All in all, it was fun story of a victory for the underdogs. While not the greatest heist film out there, it is a humorous way to pass the time. 




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PG-13, 1 hr. 39 min.
Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy

Directed By: Brett Ratner

Written By: Ted Griffin, Jeff Nathanson

In Theaters: Nov 4, 2011 Wide
Box Office:$70.6M

Universal Pictures