The Rhino's Review of "Bringing Down the House" -- Rhinotainment

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Date Posted: 17:24:51 03/29/03 Sat
Author: The Rhino
Subject: The Rhino's Review of "Bringing Down the House"

In America, we are overrun by hype. Hype happens in everyday life and sometimes you don't even realize it. There's hype at work, on television, on the radio, even at home. Sometimes I need hype to get out of bed. Kinda like "You better get your ass up or we can't pay the rent." That kind of hype.

I let movie hype get the best of me today. "Go see "Bringing Down the House"! It's the #1 movie in America for three straight weeks!" I think the reason why is because there is nothing else out at the googleplexes that looks any better. "Boat Trip" anyone? I had the day off, I wanted to hang out with my buddy, Jimmy. So we took in the #1 movie in America. We should have went bowling.

"Bringing Down the House" stars Steve Martin as Pete Sanderson, an uptight white guy. What a stretch, eh? He's a workaholic tax attorney whose career has broken up his family and given him a bad reputation amongst his children. Early in the film, an opportunity to get a lot of money out of a snooty British widow (Joan Plowright) and keep his spot in his very political work environment cancels a vacation in Hawaii that would help him mend fences with his kids. Needless to say, his ex-wife, who he's still in love with, doesn't approve. This is the dish that Pete has served his family from the getgo.

Pete wants some lovin' in his personal life. He's been playing Instant Message tag with a woman whom he thinks is a lawyer. She sends him a picture of herself. Pete thinks that the woman is a beautiful, WASPy white woman named Charlene. Well, her name's Charlene alright, but she is no WASP. She's a big buxomed black prisoner who goes by the name of Queen Latifah off-screen. Charlene is in the picture, but she's in the background being put into a police cruiser.

Pete sets up a date with Bachelorette #1 and when she arrives at his house, the proverbial (sorry Silk) hilarity ensues. As it turns out, Charlene wants Pete to represent her in her appeal, as she insists that she didn't do the crime that she has been convicted of, armed robbery. Pete tries to kick her out, but Charlene is incorigable. She won't take no for an answer. After numerous blackmail attempts, Pete finally caves in and takes on her case...as well as letting her move in with him! Yeah, this stuff happens every day.

If you have seen the previews, you probably noticed that this film has it's share of stereotypes. Well, you get a taste of it. Actually, it has a smorgasboard of stereotypes. Sure, you have the uptight white guy getting loosened up by the boisterous black girl. He's so white that he shines and they make that painfully obvious throughout the film. In Pete's daily life, a stereotypical "sista from the streets" is intimidating to every white person in spitting distance. But Latifah's character breaks down the stereotype, as she is not only street smart, but book smart as well. And of course, being that this is a feel good movie, she ends up changing Pete's life, his family's life, his friends life...she's an angel sent from above! But on the downside, she is also about to wreck his career and possibly put him in jail when the question is thrown out, "Has she actually been released from prison, or did she release herself?"

This is a trite crowd pleaser under the guise of a controversial movie that puts white people in their place. Look, white people suck. They have for years and they will continue to suck until the end of time. It's instilled in their blood by their ancestors and it's taught at home. If I look back at my ancestors, I am ashamed to be white, but since I am already white, there's not much I can do about it. I really don't need a feel good Hollywood film to remind me that I have nothing to feel good about since I am the scum of the earth.

Oh, look at me stereotyping! The hype has overcome me once again!

Seriously, there are some great laughs in this film. The majority come from the always on Eugene Levy as Pete's co-worker with an appetite for big black women. His exchanges with Latifah come off as genuine and as the film progresses, so does his desire for her. It's the best sub-plot of the film. His confident use of ebonics meets the film's laugh quota. Betty White is uncomfortably funny as Pete's boss's sister/outspoken racist neighbor. She is a stereotyping red flag throughout the film. When questioning Pete about the Latino couple who were looking at the house next door, White goes on record as saying that Latinos only belong in her neighborhood if they are carrying a leafblower. She's no Golden Girl in this flick! Snort snort!

Overall, it was a fun time at the theater. There was a lot of potential, but it came down to the same old jokes, the same old gags and a ridiculously trite ending. Latifah proved that she is worth the hype that she has been getting thanks to Chicago. Martin and Levy are always worth the hype. But this film was definitely not worth the hype. Wait for cable when it's practically free.

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