Bringing Down the House

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Bringing Down the House

PG-13

2003

1h 45m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

148 Reviews

49%

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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.

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Though the cast shines, they can't save this comedy, which is overly contrived and filled with outdated and offensive racial jokes.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

12/17/2020

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

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/22/2010

3/5

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

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

06/12/2003

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

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

11/07/2019

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

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

07/26/2012

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

05/12/2012

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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Kirstie W

@KLoves 1d

It’s a good watch. Lighthearted and funny.

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Fantazynerd 1

@RT48179632 Jul 4

It was a good watch. The racism wasn't needed tho

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P D

@Perlita617 Apr 7

This movie is hilarious! We just watched it with our whole family and we laughed so much! I would watch it over and over again! Steve Martin’s is awesome, queen latifah was freakin GREAT! Watch it!!!

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Melissa M

@Lisey Mar 23

Things are so politically correct now. It was a different time back then. People are more easily offended now. If it was the other way around and Steve Martin was black & Queen latifah was white I don't think people would carry on about this movie The Way They do. Have you ever seen White Chicks. Just saying. How was the movie racist anyway. The white people look dopey & kind of goofy in this movie. Dressing up & acting all gangster. They look beyond ridiculous. Queen latifah character of Charlene is the protagonist. She's the one that saves everybody else's ass. Even though she's the one that's in trouble. And Charlene & Peter become homies even though they come from completely different backgrounds. You can tell that Steve martin, Eugene Levy, and Queen latifah have comedic chemistry. I don't think the Queen latifah would have been in the movie if she thought the film or the plot line was racist.

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Joanne D

@RT27437272 Feb 22

Great film. Really funny. Love it. Just goes to show. Never listen to boring critics

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Teddy G.

@Teddy Oct 21

Absolutely funny as hell, this movie is a classic

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Adam Shankman

Director

Steve Martin

Peter Sanderson

Queen Latifah

Charlene Morton

Eugene Levy

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Joan Plowright

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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)