Tower Heist
2011 · Directed by Brett Ratner
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
The story
A luxury condo manager leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook Slide to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy studio comedy: sunlit Manhattan glass and marble interiors, a Thanksgiving-week sheen of Macy's-parade balloons and crisp city blue, shot in clean, mainstream coverage with plenty of medium two-shots and quick cuts during the caper sequences. The palette is saturated and polished, the sound a busy pop-orchestral score with brisk comic timing and bursts of jaunty swing, never much quiet. Vibe: breezy, buddy-driven, easy fun. It suits a lazy holiday afternoon, a weekend night with friends, or a rewatch when you want something amiable on in the background. The pacing is fast and sitcom-bright, with lots of banter and physical gags, and the emotional register stays warm and light: a wronged building staff of misfit workers, a grudging respect growing between their hotheaded leader and the scruffy hustler they recruit. Violence is minimal, mostly slapstick scuffles and a few tense moments with guns that are quickly defused by jokes; there is mild crude language and some sexual innuendo, no gore. Made for viewers who want a crowd-pleasing caper with stars trading barbs, nothing heavy to carry afterward.
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