Tower Heist (2011)
Certified: 12
Duration: 104 minutes
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Starring: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Téa Leoni, Michael Peña, Gabourey Sidibe, Judd Hirsch, Stephen Henderson
KRS release

Hollywood director and producer Brett Ratner’s own version of the Ocean’s Eleven style of heist movie, is a well-timed balancing act between a comedy film and a crime caper.

The excellent cast more than helps in make sure the film never runs out of steam and makes the audience care about the characters’ plight.

Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) is a model worker – a manager for a classy residence in Manhattan.

He goes out of his way to make sure that all the needs of the residents are met promptly and efficiently.

is top client is Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda), an investor who resides in the penthouse.

Josh keeps his staff on their toes. These include: Charlie (Casey Affleck) whose wife is pregnant, doorman Lester (Stephen McKinley Henderson), housekeeper Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe), receptionist Miss Iovenko (Nina Arianda) and elevator operator Enrique (Michael Pena).

Not all residents, however, are as wealthy as Arthur Shaw; in fact, Mr Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick) has to be kicked out due to financial problems.

When Shaw is placed under house arrest by FBI agent Claire Denham (Tea Leoni) for fraud, the lives of Josh and his staff are thrown into upheaval.

They had invested all they had in him and now it has all gone down the drain.

Josh gets fired after an act of frustration, but consequently learns that Shaw is missing $20 million and suspects the money is hidden in the penthouse.

So he forms a gang with Charlie, Enrique and Mr Fitzhugh and brings in some criminal experience in the form of his childhood acquaintance Slide (Eddie Murphy).

The plan is to get their money back and that of the other employees by carrying out a heist on the penthouse.

The film’s main asset is Ted Griffin’s screenplay which is very tight in characterisation and in the way proceedings are orchestrated.

It mixes the drama with the comic flashes well. It’s also entertaining in the way Eddie Murphy’s character was inserted into the story.

It has been quite a long time since Mr Murphy was given a chance to shine. So it’s commendable that here, in an ensemble cast, he really stands out, much more than when he’s under the spotlight.

Josh and the employees have the audience’s sympathies from the start as everybody likes to dislike a millionaire, especially an embezzling one.

The film reaches quite a satisfying catharsis. Alan Alda is such a nasty piece of work as Arthur Shaw, so much so that the audience will want to see some well deserved comeuppance directed at him.

Ben Stiller is his usual self, while Matthew Broderick fits in well with the cast.

To its merit Tower Heist is not the all-out comedy that the trailer made it out to be and thus never descends into being just a silly series of gags.