This is pretty much another one of those typical culture clash comedies where a streetsmart character meets the classy rich character, there's conflict and then the conflict is resolved and friendship blossoms, then there's another conflict but that too is resolved by the end. The story has been told x number of times. But what makes 'Bringing Down The House' likable is Queen Latifah, Steve Martin and Joan Plowright. These three provide some laugh-out-loud moments some including Martin and Latifah's dance number, Martin dressing and talking 'black', Queen Latifah and Missy Pyle's catfight and doing a break-dance, Plowright's pompous and stuck up character getting stoned, Peter's neighbour catching him and Charlene in a compromising position. The chemistry between Latifah and Martin is convincing and both have a good comic timing. Thus, even though the story has nothing new to offer, the funny moments make 'Bringing Down The House' fun to watch.

OK, so the white-yuppie-and-black-ghetto-person-joining-up idea has been used a number of times in movies, but the dialog between Steve Martin and Queen Latifah makes this one worthwhile. Probably the best scenes are Betty White's nasty comments, Queen Latifah teaching Missi Pyle a lesson, Steve Martin dressed - and attempting to talk - like a rapper (especially because of what Joan Plowright ends up doing in that scene), and of course, Eugene Levy's statements ending with "Boo". "Bringing Down the House" really does bring down the house. Completely silly, but fun nevertheless.

Who ever would have imagined Joan Plowright (aka Laurence Olivier's widow) doing what she did and saying what she said in the rapper scene?

This film, although badly reviewed by many people, proves to be a fun time at the movies. Adam Shankman and Jason Filardi have teamed up to give the viewers lots of laughs. It's hard not to be amused by what's being presented even though it might not be the greatest, or the funniest picture.

Queen Latifah has more charisma in her ample body than any other actress working in American films these days. She never gives a bad performance. This is quite a stretch from her role in Chicago; in fact, she steals the film with her charm. She can hold up her own against her co-star.

Steve Martin seems to blend himself into this joke of a lawyer, who is so uptight and anal that he never has enough time for his children. He has some hysterical scenes at the hip hop club playing an Eminem-type character, outdancing everyone. Mr. Martin's experience in the chat room brings him a lot more than he bargained for: the irrisistible Charlene, who turns his life upside down.

Eugene Levy has some bright moments as Steve Martin's friend in the firm. Joan Plowright repeats herself into the role of the ogre with a heart of gold, once she loosens up with the right kind of smoke. The rest of the cast is good, working with the material they're given to perform.

If you are trying to get away from the horrible news being bombarded at us these days, this is the film for you.

`Bringing Down the House' is the latest variation on that old comic chestnut in which a wisecracking, free-spirit type from `the lower social orders' invades the life of an uptight stuffed-shirt type - not only getting him to loosen up that collar and shed his inhibitions but also showing him a thing or two about what really matters in life. This is, basically, a primer for a Culture Clash Comedy 101 course, with a couple of veteran comic professors on hand to teach us all how it's done.

In this case, Steve Martin plays the uptight lawyer who is so obsessed with his career that he has already lost his wife over the issue and appears on the road to alienating his children as well. When Peter meets what he believes is a potential love interest in an internet chat room, he figures his life just might be turning around for the better. Peter is all set for a romantic evening – champagne, dim lights, `A Man and a Woman' playing softly in the background – when, at his door, who should appear but that Big Bad Mama, Queen Latifah, as Charlene Morton, an ex-convict who wants Peter to help her expunge from her record the crime she swears she did not commit. Peter is at first reluctant to accept this strange woman into his house and life, but Charlene is nothing if not persistent and she manages to horn her way in anyway.

The Jason Filardi screenplay pretty much plays it all by rote. We know, despite their tremendous differences in culture, background and personality, that these two comic titans will end up as great pals by the story's end. Nothing about `Bringing Down the House' surprises us, yet there is a certain amount of comfort to be derived from familiarity and predictability. It's an old formula but one that works fairly well here, thanks, primarily, to the assured, high-energy performances of Martin and Latifah in the starring roles. These two comic masters achieve a real chemistry working together, enough to compensate for the broad stereotyping that permeates the film. Filardi does achieve some moments of genuine hilarity by mixing slapstick and social satire in roughly equal measure. The satire isn't on a very high level of sophistication but it is good enough for a mass audience venture such as this one.

Director Adam Shankman is also blessed with a strong supporting cast that includes Eugene Levy as a nerdish - but `freaky' - business associate obsessed with wild black women like Charlene; Joan Plowright as a snooty, eccentric matron whose account Peter is determined to win for his firm; and Bette White as Peter's bigoted next door neighbor who is eyeing askance all the strange goings-on at the lawyer's house.

`Bringing Down the House' is at its best when it simply lets itself go, forgets about the plot, and allows its performers to dazzle us with their sheer likeability, i.e., Martin and Latifah dancing up a storm at an L.A. bistro, Martin breaking out into a spontaneous break dance routine while infiltrating an all-black nightclub. It is at its worst in the final scenes when the heavy-handed plot mechanics threaten to torpedo the whole project. Luckily, we have Martin and Latifah to help keep the thing afloat. The vehicle itself may creak at times, but the stars never do.

The arguments and opinions of many a film fan and film critic persist about Steve Martin's current position in Hollywood. Many of his doubters believe he is past it, his films becoming horribly run of the mill, turgid and, ultimately, unfunny. The opinions are jointly contributing to the downfall of a once treasured idol. But some have stood by him, myself included, through the thick black cloud that have rested over the white-haired maestro during the last few years of his illustrious career. And with his latest return to our screens, he's back to prove once and for all, that the wild and crazy guy is here to stay.

The film sees Martin as lawyer Peter Sanderson, recent divorcee and top-dog at his law firm, who now at the age of god-only-knows, decides to ditch his now "whack" existence, and goes 'net surfing for the perfect woman. He apparently strikes gold with a sex, slim blonde laywer he meets in a chat-room. But he is taken by surprise when his date arrives in the sexy, big-boned, brassy form of escaped convict Charlene (Queen Latifah). Entering his life with a strut that would make Oprah blush, Charlene attempts to convince Peter to re-open her case and help her clear her name. That's not before turning his life upside-down, and posing as his kids' nanny tries to help Peter reclaim that what he so dearly yearns for, his family and wife. How, ahem, sweet. And with all the tomfoolery that ensues comes a girl-on-girl "bitch-slapping" session between Charlene and Peter's sister-in-law, a drunken night of dancing and sexual awakening (believe me boys, you've never seen it this way before), and gangster parties louder than Martin's legendary bonnet.

Standing up to its title, "House" really is a treat. Martin, although not in full-on "wild and crazy guy" mode, is on typically top, crowd-pleasing form. His portrayal as the life-searching, middle-aged, toffee-nosed twit is inspired, managing to mix the side-splittingly funny with the touching and poignant to brilliant effect, recalling such affecting form he showed in "Parenthood" and "Bowfinger". Latifah, meanwhile, shows that she has the potential for greatness. her larger-than-life performance is uproarious, bringing charisma and buoyancy to a largely one-dimensional character. She is also quiet the vixen too. The support from Eugene Levy is also first-class. Playing Peter's best mate, who is "straight trippin'" over Charlene, Levy steals practically every scene he appears in, with his dead-pan humour and flawless timing providing the some of the films most painfully funny scenes.

The overall quality of the film is pretty standard stuff. The plot is nothing we haven't seen a thousand times before. The writer and director, while both efficient, don't really add anything fresh and exciting to the buddy comedy genre here. That said, when the films funny, it's an absolute hoot, with the cast stealing the show with marvellous chemistry, and giving us three of best comedic turns you're likely to see all year. Delightful **** (out of FIVE)

Bringing Down the House is a very funny movie and your bound to have a good time. 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. 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 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. After some persuasion, Peter agrees to help Charlene out. Though the plot sounds stupid, the execution turned out to be really funny. The story is a little weak though and they could have worked a little more on that. The movie isn't very realistic so you shouldn't go in expecting one. The cast is great and they make this somewhat old material funny. The funniest person is Eugene Levy and he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Steve Martin returns for his first wide release film in four years. He doesn't disappoint and gives a very funny performance. Queen Latifah is also funny, but she also starts getting annoying by the end of the movie. Jean Smart plays the ex wife of Peter and she's pretty good. The rest of the supporting cast includes Kimberly J. Brown, Joan Plowright, Betty White and Missi Pyle. Adam Shankman directs and this is a large improvement over A Walk to Remember. The racist jokes in the film are a little outdated and sometimes this film does go over the top. I still laughed though as some of the dialog in this film is very funny. While this isn't he funniest film of 2003, its still worth watching. Its 105 minutes long and it starts getting a little boring since they add some unnecessary things. Another good thing about this film is that they didn't use all the jokes in the preview. In the end, this film is worth watching even if its not very memorable. Rating 7.4/10, a funny comedy that's worth checking out.

This movie was amazing, Steve Martin and Queen Latifah are a great team they made the whole movie so much fun. When Peter Sanderson (Martin) expects a date with a classy lawyer at his home, instead a large loud woman just out of prison Charlene (Latifah), appears on his doorstep and comes into his home and his life with a bang! At the end of this hilarious movie after a whole lot of havoc Charlene and Peter actually build up a good relationship despite their differences. All of the cast were brilliantly picked including Peters hilarious assistant (Eugene Levy) Mrs Arness (Joan Plowright) and The Sanderson kids, they all contributed to making this film the movie of 2003!

My mom has been begging for me to watch Bringing Down the House, especially since I've been getting more into Steve Martin. He brought me nothing but laughter with Bowfinger, Little Shop of Horrors, and now Bringing Down the House. He and Queen Latifa make such a great comedic duo, this movie was in no way over the top or stereotypical, at least of the sense where I think you couldn't find it offensive. For those who did find it offensive, I think you probably watched this movie in a serious mood, because how could you not laugh?

Steve Martin plays Peter Sanderson, a straight up-tight business man who won't get his priorities right with his family and work, he expects to meet a beautiful, intelligent, and blond white lawyer he met off the internet, but instead gets Charlene, a tough soul sister who has just escaped prison and wants Peter to get her name cleared. She claims she is innocent and she won't leave Peter alone until he helps out, through the madness of trying to play Peter off as a business man and trying to get his family back, Charlene teaches him a thing or two along with him teaching her as well.

There are just some hilarious scenes, my favorite I think was the cat fight scene between Charlene and Peter's ex sister in-law. That was just hilarious! I also loved Steve getting accepted at a hard core gangsta's club and the last scene of Charlene and her new boyfriend, Howie. Steve and Queen were so cool together and I would highly recommend this film!

9/10

Tax lawyer Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) has been falling for Charlene Morton (Queen Latifah) over the Internet. She's sent him a picture of herself, but she was just a tiny figure in the background, being led out of a courthouse in jail clothes and cuffs by two cops, while in the foreground, there was a young, thin, white yuppie-looking female lawyer talking to a reporter. Sanderson believes that Charlene is the yuppie and arranges a date. Of course he's surprised at Charlene's appearance (Latifah is black, "thick" and streetwise in the film) and the fact that she's a con who has done time. Charlene's motivation is to acquire affordable, quality legal services to clean up her record--she swears she's innocent.

Ostensibly a film that would comically explore the serious issue of racism (and other kinds of appearance preconceptions) between two very different communities, Bringing Down the House is more a series of loosely tied gags. It plays like a sketch film, with the theme/subtext as a unifying factor. At that, the gags or sketches are mostly successful, although the film is not quite funny enough to work as an outrageous comedy and not quite serious enough to work as a "message film", even though it may occasionally come close on both accounts.

The three members of the principle cast--Martin, Latifah and Eugene Levy--are good, with Levy being underused, but for me, some of the best material arrived with the supporting cast. Joan Plowright as the wealthy Mrs. Arness, Kimberly J. Brown as Peter's former sister-in-law Sarah, and Betty White as Mrs. Kline, Peter's neighbor all routinely stole the show when they appeared. They were given the most outrageous material, with Arness and Kline being particularly racist. White's character is similar in tone to her excellent supporting role in Lake Placid (1999), although she was underused here.

For some, it may be an asset that the film tries to veer away from becoming cartoonish. I think it would have benefited from moving further into absurdist territory--for my tastes, even though Martin has had many great films, he has never surpassed The Jerk (1979), but that's too much of a personal preference for me to really count it as a flaw. It's also interesting that scripter Jason Filardi tries to work in a mostly serious crime/drama subplot towards the climax, but it's a bit too little, too late, and is an odd change of tone, even though the comedy bits surrounding the subplot are good. On the serious side, other than the material about racism, the strongest aspect is that Charlene teaches Peter how to be a better parent and family man. A couple scenes on that end were actually moving.

Overall, Bringing Down the House is a bit of a mixed bag, but approached as a light "sketch comedy/drama", it is entertaining. My rating occasionally leaned towards a 7, but remained closer to a 7.5 or 8.

Lets get one thing straight right away: Steve Martin can never be doubted. The Comedic Legend is an actor with tremendous charm & his sense of timing is no news to anyone. And in the 2003 Super-Hit 'Bringing Down The House', the Legend shines, yet again!

'Bringing Down The House' Synopsis: When a lonely guy meets a woman on the internet who happens to be in prison, she breaks out to be with him, and proceeds to wreak havoc on his middle-class life.

'Bringing Down The House' is a predictable, safe comedy, that goes through the narrative jumps & hiccups. Its mostly Martin's liveliness & command over the screen, that keeps the jokes coming in & the energy intact. Jason Filardi's Screenplay is nicely done, although it would've benefited from better jokes. Adam Shankman's Direction is appropriate.

A Special Mention for Queen Latifah, who with Martin, takes part in the silly jokes & delivers a loud, but likable performance. And the on-screen chemistry between Martin & Latifah, is perfect.

On the whole, 'Bringing Down The House' certainly works.

Steve Martin plays tax attorney Peter Sanderson who meets Charlene Morton (Queen Latifah) on an "law and legal issues" internet chat room, believing her to be a "slim blonde" fellow lawyer, the two get on well and eventually arrange a date.

All is not what Peter expects, as Charlene is not only a large African American lady with a larger than life attitude - shes not a lawyer, but an ex con! - and brings with her a heck of a lot of trouble for him, bribing him into helping her clear her name for a crime she says she didn't commit.

The many over the top ridiculous scenarios that follow are truly very funny and do more than enough to paper over the cracks in a pretty thin storyline.

Martin, Latifah - and especially Eugene Levy, as Martins fellow lawyer friend - clearly really enjoy themselves here and it really shows in their excellent performances.

all in all good fun.

I love this movie, it is one of my favorite movies. I think it is one of the funniest movies ever. The first time I saw it I was laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe. Steve Martin and Queen Latifah are so funny together. There are so many scenes in this movie that are so hilarious like the scene where Charlene and Ashley get in a fist fight in the ladies room, the scene where Mrs. Arness comes to Peter's house for dinner, the scene where Charlene is trying to teach Peter how to turn Kate on, and my personal favorite scene the scene where Peter goes undercover in the bar. The acting in this movie is great and it's just a really really funny movie, I'd urge anyone to see it cause I think it's one of the funniest movies ever.

This movie had a bunch of funny turn of events. This movie was a good time to sit through. I really enjoyed watching it and owning it. The movie with Up Tight lawyer Peter Sanderson(Steve Martin) who seems to have too many problems, he's going through a divorce, he trying to represent a million dollar client. But he has a on line chat pal named lawyer girl. But he finds out that lawyer girl is Charlene(Queen Latifah) a former convict, and fun loving sister from the hood, who wants Peter to help prove her innocence. Peter is about to discover that his quiet life is about to be turned upside down. Steve Martin and Queen Latifah had such funny chemistry together. I hope they make another funny movie together.

I cannot believe some of the negative comments made on this film. Sure it is never going to win any Oscars but this was real "sit back and laugh" film. On many occasions I was laughing uncontrollably

Both Martin and Latifah were excellent in this film. Is it me or was Steve Matins wife in this film a honey or what.?

If you like your humor tongue in cheek and can laugh off the racist innuendos then give this film a go.

People who call this film dire need to have a comedy check over.

I went to see this with friends expecting a pleasant diversion and to see the tag line Eugene Levy delivers in all the movie trailers (You got me straight trippin', boo). Well I was pleasantly surprised. I laughed out loud at this movie. Much of the credit goes to the triple threat talents of Steve martin, Queen Latifah & Eugene Levy for making a go of a movie that could have been awful in the hands of less talented actors. My favorite scene has to be the cat fight in the bathroom; between the tae-bo & Matrix references I actually had tears coming out my eyes I was laughing so hard. Don't expect much, just go see this and enjoy.

I am normally not a fan of these type of movies. But one night I was up and it was on the TV and to my surprise I actually thought it was funny. It is a very broad type comedy. Something that Jerry Lewis would of done in his heyday with Dino playing the Levy part. The Queen plays a escaped con trying to clear herself. When she shows up at Martins door for a blind date and points out she was indeed in the picture of the women he thought was going to date it was hilarious. No big deal but a quick funny scene which explains why she is there. She is a very good actress. I have never seen her play a role badly. I have seen her in bad movies but she is always good. Now only if they do the Pearl Bailey story because she looks and talks just like her. I guess Steve Martin being a TAX lawyer is suppose to tell us he is more then a little uptight. He is out to woo a rich client played by Dame Joan Plowright who has one of the funniest offensive scenes I have ever seen in a movie. Only in Mel Brooks movies could that scene be pulled off but she does a good job. It just shows what a great actress can do to a part which is very insensitive. She goes to dinner one night at Martins house and Queen is forced to play a maid. Plowright starts reminiscing about one of the old maids that worked for her when she was young. Then she starts singing this "Negro Spiritual" that Ivy's brother after a day in the tobacco fields use to sing.. Is massa going to sell us tomorrow... Like in the Springtime For Hitler mode it sounds so revolting but it is hilarious. Sir Larry must be spinning in his grave. The movie had racist characters such as Martins ex sister in Law who preyed on sick old men. It is established that she is a real bad guy. The part which really bothered me was the Eugene Levy attack of Jungle Fever character. He din't like Charlene because she was a nice he liked her because of his perception of black women being sexual hot mama's. And he was treated as a sympathetic character unlike the other racist idiots in the movie such as the sister in law, the neighbor and the client. Other then that big problem it was a funny flick. When Martin goes to a night club to confront Charlenes' ex he is in his element..physical comedy. And for once I thought he was funny. I usually like Steve Martin in his serious roles like I feel about Robin Williams. I can't take that broad slapstick comedy that they both are famous for. But for some reason in this movie it is endearing. Oh and catch Steve Harris playing a real bad guy..a real change of character for him.

I loved this movie!It was so funny I broke out in laughter six or seven times through the movie.Steve Martin's wise cracks keep the movie entertaining,and the acting and plot are great.I enjoyed this movie alot.Queen Latifah is great with her tough biker chick role,beating up women AND men that give her a hard time.I hope black people did'nt take offense to this movie,because in a way it mocked black people.It's just a very funny enjoyable movie,not to be taken seriously or offensive.I loved every minute of it!

Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) is a divorced workaholic lawyer, who spends his time working and in a chat room for lawyers in Internet, where he meets the young lawyer Charlene Morton. He has a teenager daughter and a son, and misses his wife Kate (Jean Smart). One day, he schedules a dinner at his home with the pretty and blonde Charlene, of whom he has a picture only. When he opens his door, he sees that Charlene is indeed a huge Afro-American woman (Queen Latifah), who was in jail and wants him to defend her, claiming that she is innocent. Charlene forces Peter to lodge and defend her, and from this moment on, his life turns upside-down. This movie is a very funny comedy, with many good moments. For example, when his teenager daughter trusts on him and decides to tell him other hidden stories about her, it is hilarious. Or when Peter opens the door and sees Charlene for the first time. There are many other funny scenes. Of course there are also many clichés, this film is not a surrealistic art movie and certainly will not be indicated for an Oscar. But I laughed a lot with the situations created by Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy and Joan Plowright. Highly recommended for laughing. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'A Casa Caiu' ('The House is Down')

While it is nice to see Steve Martin rising briefly out of straight-to-video hell, and Queen Latifah is fab, this is nevertheless at best a mediocre comedy with only about one laugh every twenty minutes, and at worst a dire, dirty movie.

As for the whole racism thing (the movie was quite controversial in the States) it's hard to tell who's being targeted: Black people, or White People. Maybe it's all just a satire ... but the movie manages to offend both Whites and Blacks, and is probably best avoided.

"Bringing Down The House" a hilarious movie starring Queen Latifah, Steve Martin and Eugene Levy. Well, you know it's got to be hilarious if you put Steve Martin and Eugene Levy together in a movie, but Latifah has an excellent sense of humor as well. First, you have Steve Martin, a lawyer, who agrees to a blind date over the Internet. Thinking Steve has a blonde bombshell lawyer from the picture that the woman sends him, he decides he's all set. When all of a sudden, Queen Latifah shows up and claims she's Charlene, the woman that Steve thought was the blonde bombshell. Charlene goes to Steve and she wants him to help her with a case that she was mistakeable charged for. Anyways, it's a great movie, filled with laughs. If you love law movies and comedies, you'll love this one. My favourite part is when Steve enters an all-black nightclub, it's hilarious. Anyways, watch the movie, it's great, I gave it an 8. Oh by the way, Eugene is a colleage of Martin's and he's hilarious too. So watch the movie, it's filled with tons of laughs.

Steve Martin acting like a slang-slinging homie? Yep....so what's the prob? Isn't any more offensive than millions of young white people using the same slang every day they live and breath. I thought this movie worked because it USED the stereotypes to prove that there IS no true stereotype. People act and react to their environment and to changes IN that environment. Although I agree with the previous poster regarding NO second in this series, it's not because it's such a poor film, it's because the story is best laid down at this point. All is well in the lives of the characters. This is just a fun little flick that should be taken at face value and not held up for great scrutiny. Not all films have hidden and deep meanings. Even Freud said sometimes a cigar is simply a cigar. Watch the movie, enjoy it, laugh at the silliness. Then go out and rent something deep...like what--Eight Mile? Please, a very LARGE break here....

People tend to cut comedies lots of slack as long as they make us laugh. They can be blasphemous, tasteless, lowbrow, highbrow, moronic, offensive, racist, subversive, disgusting, pretentious, pointless, shallow, blatantly left-wing, blatantly right-wing, vulgar, cruel, preachy, you name it -- if they make us laugh our butts off, we'll forgive them any and all of these sins. If they just aren't funny, like this turkey, that's when we start noticing all the bad stuff.

And there is plenty of bad stuff, believe me, starting with Steve Martin, who exhausted his tiny bag of comedic tricks more than twenty years ago and who has been coasting along ever since. I think this movie is where he finally coasts to a dead stop. Please, Hollywood, just leave him there.

And then there's the story. Bringing Down the House is a clash-of-cultures movie evidently written by people who don't have a clue about either of the cultures involved in the clash. The result is a bunch of crudely drawn caricatures of nonexistent social types. Nobody thinks white people or black people are anything like this, and it is insulting to have to sit through a movie made by people who think we do.

This is another typical Hollywood send up about how uncool white people are, even to the absurd remark that white people don't hug. It shows a world that might have existed in exclusive white California neighborhood 30 years ago, but not now. I feel sorry for any young white american who once again is made to feel ashamed of their very being by a film like this. While there are moments that could have been funny culture shock wise, they just don't appear. This film should be as offensive to white's as the roles Stepin Fethcit and Hattie McDaniel portrayed in the 30's and 40's were to blacks. If it wasn't, then to coin a black american phrase(I don't hyphenate groups with African-American or European-American, because if you are not american-get out!) you would then be a white version of an Uncle Tom. I feel good about my color and nothing the Queen Latifah's of the world say can make me ashamed of my race and people(except any involved with this racist filth). In case you think I am racist-think again, Densel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding and Halle Berry are some of my favorite performers in today's films.

MM

This was one of the worst films I can remember seeing. I am sure I have seen worse, though, if that mitigates me slamming it.

The humor isn't funny, there are stupid stereotype jokes that, again, aren't funny. I was a captive audience on a plane and viewed this film. It was a complete waste of time. I enjoyed Martin in earlier films, but not this one. Same for Queen Latifah, she was excellent in Chicago and in Set it Off she was good too, but this role was horrid.

I mostly credit the failure to the bad writing of the script. I feel strongly you can't save a formulaic, unfunny script with decent actors, this movie as a case in point. Still, all involved should have been wise enough to not participate in this film. I am just amazed that something so bad can get greenlighted, made, released theatrically, and promoted.

Is there an American Idol for screenwriters? I'm not up on my "reality" TV shows, but I have been noticing film after film written by some guy or girl who has no other movie to his or her credit. It's not that I'm against bringing new talent into Hollywood, but so far the "talent" part of the "new" equation hasn't happened.

Jason Filardi, the writer of Bringing Down the House, and the latest in a screenwriting sea of freshman ineptitude, has created one of the most laughably bad comedies this side of The Sweetest Thing; and none of the juvenile or racist jokes he throws in can save it. Filardi has managed to create a sort of bizarro world that would stink of racism as far back as the 1960s.

In Bringing Down the House, Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) works at a law firm that appears to be segregated, attends a country club so uppity that his intrusive African American "friend," Charlene Morton (Queen Latifah) has to pretend that she's a nanny just to avoid trouble, and has a client who is the heiress to her husband's large fortune, who is such a bigot that she starts belting out an odious plantation song at the dinner table where she's being waited on by Charlene, who's still pretending to be a nanny and maid. Last, but definitely not least, is Sanderson's nosy neighbor, Mrs. Kline (Betty White). The woman is so prejudice that Sanderson, obviously not one willing or able to stand up for himself, hides Charlene when he sees Kline, to avoid any confrontation with his misguided neighbor. As they sneak the concealed Charlene into Sanderson's home, Mrs. Kline tells Sanderson that she thought she "heard negro," and he denies this by claiming that there's, "no negro here."

Are you laughing yet?

The fact that Queen Latifah would even act in this picture, much less act as one of its executive producers, boggles the mind. Maybe next she'll play Aunt Jemima in a series of ads for maple syrup. And how low will the once great Steve Martin go to save his dying career? If this racist little "comedy" makes a splash, maybe next we'll see him as a white businessman in a comedy musical version of Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored. Eugene Levy has only a small part as Sanderson's partner in law, but, as he does with most films that he's featured in, manages to steal the show. Unfortunately, the only reason he steals this one is by delivering his stereotypical lines better than the rest of the cast. Maybe as a follow-up to this flick, he and Martin can put on some blackface and appear in an updated version of Amos 'n' Andy.

Intentional, or not, Bringing Down the House is a racist movie. By the time it's all over, this film borders on being as offensive and misguided as a slapstick version of Roots.