The Whole Ten Yards
Directed by Howard Deutch
- comedy
- thriller
- crime
The story
Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski now spends his days compulsively cleaning his house and perfecting his culinary skills with his wife, Jill, a purported assassin who has yet to pull off a clean hit. Suddenly, an uninvited and unwelcome connection to their past unexpectedly shows up on Jimmy and Jill's doorstep; it's Oz, and he's begging them to help him rescue his wife, Cynthia.
What it’s like
Bright, flat suburban daylight and tidy, cluttered interiors give this one a cheerful sitcom sheen, with comfortable medium shots that let the cast trade quips across a kitchen table. The sound is brisk studio comedy: quick dialogue overlaps, a jaunty score that nudges each reversal, and the occasional gunshot played for a laugh rather than dread. Its vibe is breezy and slapdash, a mid-week watch that is loud and goofy more than tense, with a crime-caper rhythm that stops and starts around scheme-and-fumble set pieces. Its emotional register is affectionate and ribbing, following a bickering married couple who are less dangerous than they think and a nervous neighbour dragged back into their mess. Violence is present, mostly brief shootouts, sudden shots and slapstick mayhem, with no gore and little real cruelty, though guns and threats recur throughout. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon or an easy comedy night for people who want a crowd-pleasing caper with light crime-movie trimmings and no real dread.
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