BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE

US, 2003, 105 minutes, Colour.
Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, Jean Smart, Kimberley J. Brown, Angus T. Jones, Missi Pyle, Michael Rosenbaum, Betty White, Steve Harris.
Directed by Adam Shankman.

The 'odd couple' has proven a constant and popular theme in American films. This time it is quite an odd couple: Steve Martin plays a middle-aged lawyer, divorced but still loving his wife, and a loving father; Queen Latifah plays a solid ex-prisoner who has been framed and who wants justice done. She has been corresponding by email with the lawyer, leading him to think she is a glamorous blonde. When she arrives at his house on a date, it is definitely not what he expected and it goes downhill from there. Obviously, by the end of the film, it is uphill again and she has resolved most of his personal, family and business problems.

The humour is not particularly sophisticated - undemandingly amusing.

Queen Latifah has shown us in a number of films just what a strong presence she is. This culminated in an Oscar nomination for her role as Mama Morton in Chicago. Steve Martin is... well, Steve Martin, angsting over problems, though not without a touch of wheeler-dealering. Jean Smart is his ex-wife, Eugene Levy is his leering partner, especially in Queen Latifah's direction. Joan Plowright plays a snooty American grand dame from the South brought up in England who puts her foot in it all the time with her snobbery and racist attitudes. Add to that the gangsters who have framed Latifah and you have quite a mixture for comedy and mishaps.

1. The comic combination of Steve Martin and Queen Latifah? A new odd couple? An odd racial couple? Male-female, age, experience? The comedy and the change for each of them?

2. The title, comedy, Charlene and her changing Peter's home?

3. The business world, homes and affluence, the clubs, the neighbourhood and their clubs? Musical score? Songs?

4. The plausibility of the plot? The two characters, their reactions, needs, helping each other, changing? Realism and farce?

5. Steve Martin as Peter, in himself, workaholic, busy, smug, the business world, his success? The neglect of his family? His wanting a girlfriend? His friendship with Howie? The meetings, the win situation? The work with Mrs Arnett, the plans? The internet and his correspondence, the chat rooms? His misinterpreting the photo, Charlene deceiving him? Preparing for the meeting with Charlene?

6. Mrs Klein as the local snoop, her racist remarks about Hispanics, blacks? Snooping, her relationship with Peter's children, the report? Her relationship with the executive at the firm? The ironic comedy and presentation of racist attitudes?

7. Charlene and the correspondence through the chat room, her legal knowledge, attractiveness, the photo? Her arrival, Peter's preparation, the discovery of the truth, her prison sentence, her position in the photo, her carrying on in the house, Peter ousting her? His disbelief at her arrival? Her yelling in the yard, his bringing her in, the loud snoring, her waking up and attacking him? His putting her out again? Her turning up, the opening up of the house, the party and all her friends, his children arriving and joining in the party?

8. Peter and his relationship with Kate, her feelings of neglect, the divorce, taking the children, leaving him alone? Her young golfing friend? Going off for a holiday with him? His relationship with his children, their disappointment in his not taking them to Hawaii? Going to the party? The presence of Charlene at the party, Peter getting rid of all the people? The importance of Howie and his being attracted towards Charlene, Peter using this? Mrs Arnett and her visit to the house, seeing Charlene as the nanny? Peter changing, Kate seeing him dancing and puzzled by it?

9. Ashley, Kate's sister, her nastiness, antagonism towards Peter? The encounter with Charlene, their martial arts and fist-fight? Her later hiding from Charlene? Martial arts versus innate toughness?

10. Mrs Arnett, pictured as snobbish and conservative? Her upbringing in England? The background of the deep south? Her dog, its being ousted from the restaurant, Peter saving the dog and paying the money for it to stay in the restaurant? Her interest in his preparing the account? His young rival and his charming Mrs Arnett? Her decision to visit the home, pretending Charlene was the nanny? The children and their exemplary behaviour? The dog? Charlene serving the dinner, the talk, Mrs Arnett's condescending attitudes and speech? The singing of the negro spiritual and everybody being embarrassed? The television and the news about Charlene and her being wanted by the FBI? Mrs Arnett and her going to the club, the drugs, her dancing? The dog being abducted? Peter saving the day?

11. Charlene and her relationship with Widow? The videotape and his disguising himself as Charlene? Her going to jail for him? His coming to the party, Peter realising the truth? His going to the club, the jive language and dancing, the interview with Widow, the gun? Mrs Arnett in the club? His saving the day, the others arriving?

12. The company, the clients, the young assistant and his ambitions? Howie and Peter? The bosses and Peter's decision to quit? Mrs Arnett giving him the complete account? His having a new office? Howie and his helping?

13. Howie, his character, sexual innuendo, Charlene's response, his going along with all the deceptions?

14. Kate and Charlene, Charlene going, Kate and her throwing away the phone? Peter turning over a new leaf, reconciled with his family?

15. The enjoyment of American odd-couple comedies, where each saves the other, where each discovers their real self?