Bringing Down the House

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Bringing Down the House

PG-13,

2003,

1h 45m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

Watchlist

33%

148 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

250,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

148 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Lawyer Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) wants to dive back into dating after his divorce and has a hard time meeting the right women. But he lucks out with online dating and meets a fellow lawyer. The two agree to meet in the flesh, but the woman he meets -- an escaped African-American convict named Charlene (Queen Latifah) -- is not what he expected. Peter is freaked out, but Charlene convinces him to take her case and prove her innocence, and along the way they learn to become friends.

Critics Consensus

Though the cast shines, they can't save this comedy, which is overly contrived and filled with outdated and offensive racial jokes.

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Rachel Swan

Bitch Media

Dec 17, 2020

The film fails as a satire because it's plenty racist on its own.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 22, 2010

3/5

Martin and Latifah rule in boundary-pushing PG-13.

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

Jun 12, 2003

It's quite a mess, this catastrophe -- a racially offensive mess, too.

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 7, 2019

Steve Martin and Queen Latifah? Who woulda thunk it! But kudos to that brainchild!

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

Jul 26, 2012

D

It's a wheezing, rusted machine of cheap jokes, cartoon performances, and crummy plotting, using shock value and insensitivity to make its painfully unfunny points.

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

May 12, 2012

4/10

Everything about this film is painfully familiar, except, perhaps, for the vicious-but-comic catfight between Latifah and Missi Pyle, who plays a high-society gold digger.

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Luke R

Jan 15, 2019

Steve Martin is such a legend that it is strange to envision a time(such as when this film came out) when he was in a slump of some proportions. This is a comedy about a lawyer who upon a divorce finds himself in close quarters with a woman who is diametrically different to what he wants or expects. Bringing Down the House offers proof that there are times when superior performances can salvage a mediocre script. Despite working with a screenplay that would be deemed thin by some TV sit-coms, Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, and Eugene Levy combine to transform this motion picture into a rewarding movie-going experience. The chief pleasure of Bringing Down the House is watching the stars interact. The best mentality to bring to the movie is that of watching a 105-minute series of comedy sketches. This film is a must watch for fans of comedy.(Hilarious comedy starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah).

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Rey W

Jan 27, 2018

As a kid, I used to watch this movie twice a week or more. Every now and then a few times a year, I view this movie. Never gets old.

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Hagrid S

Jun 13, 2017

When this movie first came out I thought it was hilarious. A bit cheesy, but hey, why not? I've always loved a little cheese when it comes to my movies.

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Ron R

Jan 1, 2007

This movie was very funny but forgettable.

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Adam Shankman

Director

Steve Martin

Peter Sanderson

Queen Latifah

Charlene Morton

Eugene Levy

Howie Rottman

Joan Plowright

Mrs. Arness

Jean Smart

Kate

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Synopsis

Lawyer Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) wants to dive back into dating after his divorce and has a hard time meeting the right women. But he lucks out with online dating and meets a fellow lawyer. The two agree to meet in the flesh, but the woman he meets -- an escaped African-American convict named Charlene (Queen Latifah) -- is not what he expected. Peter is freaked out, but Charlene convinces him to take her case and prove her innocence, and along the way they learn to become friends.

Director: Adam Shankman
Producer: David Hoberman, Ashok Amritraj
Screenwriter: Jason Filardi
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista (Walt Disney)
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Drug Material|Sexual Humor)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 7, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $132.5M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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