Breaking the Bank

After all his years on 'Cheers' and 'Frasier' you'd think that Kelsey Grammar would know a good script from a bad one. Obviously not because he has popped up in this poor film, that after a very brief cinema outing has gone straight to DVD here in the UK.

And quite rightly so. Grammar may be the best thing in it by a mile, but come on, this is as weak as it gets. The plot is daft, the jokes silly - I think I lasted about half an hour and then gave up.

What is quite funny though is the 'making of' documentary, in which the writer and producer seem to be of the belief that they've come up with a British comedy that will rival the output of Richard Curtis and the Ealing comedies of days gone by. Sorry fellas, you weren't even close.

I can see why Grammar wants to make it on the big screen, but this isn't the film in which he'll do it.

Sorry to say, I found this movie to be a terribly lame comedy, which didn't work for me on any level.

Kelsey Grammar stars as Charles Bunbury, a dullard of a bank chairman, whose wife Penelope (Tamsin Greig) is the principal shareholder of the 200-year-old venerable institution, and whose family has passed down control of the bank from one generation to the next.

When Charles is set-up to pour an enormous amount of the bank's and Penelope's money into a worthless investment, it will set off a chain of events that will lead to ruination for many. I won't bore you the rest of the plot details other than to say they get more and more absurd and nonsensical. For me, it became a slog to watch it to the end, all the way to its predictable conclusion.

Overall, I thought the comedic elements in this film just fell "flat as a pancake", and I would suggest trying something else.

Nothing profound, not deep, just fun to watch, and had the Director mixed the sound better, would have been more fun. But they allow the music to play so loudly over the voices in too many people, that you miss what was said and it is more than annoying! Dialog should not be competing with music people! Please stop it. We should not have to struggle to understand what has been said. What is the point?

It is fun, that's all. If you really try to critique it, it becomes more work than watching it. It's primary value is to counter the dread of the daily news, and it does that well.

Wasn't nearly as clever or funny or fun as say trading places. No real message or theme. But it was dumb cute fun with good actors. Automatic 6. Only not giving it higher cuz it wasn't very funny and nothing happened that was especially memorable But worth a watch just cuz. Love Kelsey grammar and his British wife from episodes. She's just hilarious and Fun always.

Kelsey grammer is charles bunbury, the incompetent president of a very old but broke bank. Grinding (john higgins... better known for best in show!) wants to buy it. As do others. Can he sell it before the truth comes out about its poor financial condition? Or before his wife finds out how bad things are? In the meantime, charles is out on the street, and must learn how to survive. Some funny bits, where a bank exec not only brings his lunch in a lunchbox, but even has a note from mom with his lunch. Can his daughter, or maybe his homeless friend help him get his wife back? It's a bankroom farce! It's mostly fun.... moves a little slow. Many similarities to trading places, from 1983. Film directed by vadim jean. Story by roger devlin. Kind of.