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OK - it helps if you are Jewish or have Jewish friends. It's a culture thing. Besides that, it's a good Mob comedy. REAL mob movies take place in New York and Italy. This is Providence, RI. Knowing the Prov. Reputation makes the jewish Mob bit even funnier. Lead guy Sam has a Carrey-in-Dumb-and-Dumber haircut, and has the same sorta "incompetent charm wins the girl" thing going. Otherwise, there is little similarity to the Farrely film. The kind of movie where you aren't at all suprised to see a Dwarf hit-man. Good dialogue. Great acting. Strange tone. Fun movie.

Someone remarked here that "Safe Men" could only be enjoyed if you were Jewish -- I'm not, but I still enjoyed it.

"Safe Men" is about two bad singers, Sam and Eddie (Sam Rockwell and Steve Zahn) who are mistaken for two safecrackers (Mark Ruffalo and Josh Paris) and are forcibly recruited by mobster Big Fat Bernie Gayle (Michael Lerner) to rob three safes. And that's just the test.

After being released by Gayle, the two men proceed to a gift shop where Sam smells candles and chooses items for a gift basket for Big Fat Bernie, figuring that then he won't make them rob any safes.

Gayle is ably assisted by Veal Chop (Paul Giamatti), his loyal flunkie. One activity currently in the household is the preparation of Big Fat Bernie Gayle Jr.'s bar mitzvah.

Harvey Fierstein plays Leo, a fence, whose daughter, Hannah (Christina Kirk), is the object of the affections of both Sam and one of the real safecrackers.

The standout for me is Paul Giamatti, who is hilarious.

There was a lot of laugh-out-loud humor in this. I admit that this writer, John Hamburg, has written some films I don't like with crude humor that is geared to the lowest common denominator. I prefer humor that comes out of ridiculous situations. This one fit the bill.

"Safe Men" plays as if you took a nice assortment of Woody Allen comedies and put them through a blender. The Jewish jokes, including a hilarious bar mitzvah will appeal to the ethnic audience, while the outrageous ideas like exploding pants, will appeal to almost everyone. I have never seen Jewish stereotypes portrayed better, in part because of the incredible casting choices. Each character is so interesting, you will wish they each had more screen time. Sure it's ridiculous, but so are "Idiocracy", "Strange Wilderness", and "Office Space". Along with "Safe Men" the common thread between these comedies , is that each one will hold up to multiple viewings. - MERK

What's more funny than a couple of lounge singers, Jewish gangsters from

Providence and unrequited love. The cast is amazing. Sam rockwell is a genius. Wheter he's in drama (Heist) or comedy(Welcome to Collinwood) he's seems to

enjoy his work and when the actor is having fun the audience will follow suit. Mark Ruffalo, Steve Zahn(totally underrated), Paul Giamatti and the old

schoolers, Michael Lerner and Harvey Fierstein make this one of the best cast films in recent memory. Christina Kirk is sexy and funny and tough. The guy who plays the MC at the Bar Mitzbah is awesome. I laughed my ass off from

beginning to end.

This is one fresh and innovative movie. Great performances by a very talented cast. The story deals with safe cracking, lounge singing and Jewish mobsters in Rhode Island. However, the real strengths of the film are the incredible performances and brilliant direction. There are no wasted scenes and the material is so fresh. Rockwell is brilliant as usual, but here he has lots of other great actors to work with. I was not aware that any critics were negative of this film, but if they were, it was due to their own ignorance. **** out of ****. You will enjoy this film, I guarantee it!