Movie Preview: Tower Heist (2011)

TOWER HEIST is an American action-comedy film directed by BRETT RATNER, starring BEN STILLER and EDDIE MURPHY.

Thanks to the folks from UIP, I caught the preview on Tuesday (1 Nov).

After a long day at work, I like to catch comedy movies to unwind. Tower Heist did not disappoint in being funny and entertaining, but when you cast two comedic greats like Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in the same movie, one would expect there to be lots of onscreen banter and chemistry between them. Alas, that was not to be. Murphy’s fans will be disappointed with his relatively limited screen time, appearing about a quarter way into the movie in a relatively minor role.

Nonetheless, the movie still features a strong overall cast who can bring in the chuckles and lead actor Stiller’s performance was stellar.

The plot has some obvious loopholes, but I appreciate the various twists at the end. The main theme of the working class minions’ plotting revenge against the greedy mega-rich elites would resonate well with the current “Occupy Wall Street” sentiment going around.

Sick and tired of being pushed around by the elites? This movie is for the everyday guy like you and me.

TOWER HEIST is now showing in Singapore cinemas. 🙂

Trailer:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg0uh7NcO9w&”]

Synopsis:

Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy lead an all-star cast in Tower Heist, a comedy caper about working stiffs who seek revenge on the Wall Street swindler who stiffed them. After the workers at a luxury Central Park condominium discover the penthouse billionaire has stolen their retirement, they plot the ultimate revenge: a heist to reclaim what he took from them.

Queens native Josh Kovacs (Stiller) has managed one of the most luxurious and well- secured residences in New York City for more than a decade. Under his watchful eye, nothing goes undetected. In the swankiest unit atop Josh’s building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) is under house arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. The hardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he was entrusted to manage.

With only days before Arthur gets away with the perfect crime, Josh’s crew turns to petty crook Slide (Murphy) to plan the nearly impossible…to steal what they are sure is hidden in Arthur’s guarded condo. Though amateurs, these rookie thieves know the building better than anyone. Turns out they’ve been casing the place for years, they just didn’t know it.