Aushilfsgangster

Josh Kovaks (Ben Stiller) is the perfect employee. Managing a high end apartment skyscraper in New York, his team look after and cater for all the foibles of their rich charges.

Living in the penthouse suite with a rooftop swimming pool emblazoned with a Dollar Bill mosaic is Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda), a wealthy financier with Steve McQueen's Ferrari in his living room.

How did it get up there, they took it apart and moved it piece by piece, subtle this is not.

Josh plays online chess with Arthur, likes him and entrusts the employees pension fund to him to "double their money", unbeknown to his work colleagues.

With a story ripped from recent headlines, Shaw is soon in trouble with the FBI, notably pretty detective (Tea Leoni). Subsequently, the employees are left searching for their lost pension funds turning the movie into a "let's get even" escapade.

Josh is largely loyal but when rattled he can and does takes matters into his own hands, vintage car aficionados should look away.

Following subsequent events, we are left with a larcenous but incompetent gang of six. Likable and nominally in charge Josh, Charlie (Casey Affleck) who is not much good at anything but has a pregnant wife and extreme motivation. New boy Enrique (Michael Pena) who is not the brightest bulb, Slick (Eddie Murphy) supposed criminal mastermind but none of the above. Odessa, a chambermaid with a bizarre Jamaican accent and a handy sideline in safe-cracking (Gabourey Siibe) and lastly, Mr Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), depressed, straitlaced, crumpled ex-banker and ex-apartment owner.

We are all set for a decent farce with elements of drama, however the movie is set for fun and mostly delivers.

This a rare Hollywood comedy that is actually funny. Whether the group are planning their heist using Lego, getting distracted with Female Sexuality issues or breaking off mid heist to walk a residents pet dog.

Overall of course it's all very silly and preposterous but it is good to see Eddie Murphy funny again, his sequence with Odessa, as she teaches him the in's and out's of safe-cracking is well done. Stiller largely plays the straight-man, allowing the others to bounce their comedic lines off him. Matthew Broderick is perhaps the standout, managing to make Mr Fitzhugh both sad and funny at the same time, Broderick's comedic timing used to great effect.

It is good to see Judd Hirsch on the big screen, getting a few good scenes as the overall building boss. Alan Alda also lifts the film with his considerable talents bought to bear on the smarmy Mr Shaw.

Like any comedy caper, the tone needs to be right and the project is very much a light soufflé but Director Brett Ratner manages to pull off the various elements, to make this a fun night in.

Summary

That rare event, a Hollywood comedy that manages to both entertain and provide a light sprinkling of social commentary.

The film is largely designed to be a crowd pleaser and largely fulfils that role admirably http://julesmoviereviews.blogspot.co.nz/

"Tower Heist" is a fun comedy, action and crime thriller. It's a chess game of life. The opponents are a band of employees who run a high-class apartment building in the heart of Manhattan, and the pent-house tenant who takes their pensions and savings to the cleaners. But, one caper deserves another, and the employees are on the rebound after the FBI get into the picture.

It's all about decorum, money, position, working for a living, trusting others, greed, fraud, getting even and justice. That may not sound like the elements of comedy, but they all add up to a very good and entertaining movie. Ben Stiller is the lead character. Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda, Judd Hirsch, Tea Leoni and a host of other actors add to the fast action, bedlam and smiles in this film.

Most adults should enjoy this film. Just be prepared for city street language and some vulgarity. The end is an especially nice surprise.

I hadn't seen a good Eddie Murphy movie in some time and when I saw the trailer I thought it was going to be a very predictable story line. But on the contrary...it was fresh and very entertaining! The beginning kept me guessing how the plot was going to set up. Then, when it all came together, their plan started to unravel...It was nice to see Matthew Broderick acting again and in full quirk mode...He played a great nerd! Alan Alda was a joy to hate as the bad guy and Ben Stiller was his usual perfect lead man! The casting was perfect and the music kept the excitement going until the end! If you are looking for a fun, "feel good" movie with good acting, then this is a must see! Long live Robin Hood!!!

It's a magnificent comedy movie that picks up right after 25 minutes of the start. Both actors including Ben Stiller were excellent and the movie was amazing through out. Crime + Comedy + 2 great actors is definitely gonna be the thing you're looking for.

"Tower Heist" is a movie that's never going to win awards. But if it's playing on your television during a rainy day, you will find it is an acceptable way to pass the time. And you'll find the movie has some positive features. Alan Alda makes for a good slimy villain, and Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, and Matthew Broderick (as well as their co-stars) make a likable bunch of people with a goal that you hope they will be able to reach. The actual heist has some unexpected twists as well as some genuine suspense. Certainly, the movie is not perfect. There are some parts of the movie when the movie seems to be missing footage, especially at the end where not all the plot points are resolved (though the two alternate endings on the DVD have this missing material that was for some reason removed from the theatrical print.) While I wouldn't say this is a movie to seek out, if you stumble upon the opportunity to see it, it will probably give you an acceptable amount of entertainment.