The Ladykillers

The latest flick from the Coen brothers.
It’s a fun, laid-back watch, heavily layered with music—mostly those classic American staples like old-school gospel and stuff like that.
Technically it’s a remake, serving up a classic crime story infused with that signature Coen sense of humor, though I wouldn't say it's anything earth-shattering.
If you’re a fan of the Coens, then I’d definitely give this a warm recommendation.

Just stumbled onto this thread,

I caught the movie last Saturday and I’m with Nathan Anderson44 on this one. The ending was a bit of a letdown—the whole plot felt like it was missing a central point—but I will say the caricatured protagonists were great. They felt totally Coen, especially with Tom Hanks and J. K. Simmons (you know, the editor from Spider-Man) leading the pack. He’s basically a dead ringer for Griffin, particularly in that scene with the dynamite (those who've seen it know exactly what I mean...)

I’d guess it might be the worst film by the Coen brothers,

but then again, I haven't sat through their entire filmography yet.

Yeah, hands down their absolute worst. It’s pretty bad. The Tom Hanks character is ambitious on paper, but the execution is sluggish, chaotic, underdeveloped, and just plain overblown.

Tom Hanks isn't actually failing here—it's just that the character he was given is a disaster.

That witch character doesn't serve any real purpose in the plot beyond being a minor side note, yet the movie keeps trying to frame her as the main driver of the action.

The rest of the cast feels forced too; I can barely fit them into the narrative, and constant bouts of nonsensical dialogue and scenes keep breaking the internal logic.

Despite the attempt to build some kind of atmosphere, the Coen brothers completely missed the mark. This film sucks!

Just saw they translated the movie title as The Gangster Five! 😂

Never seen The Ladykillers. But honestly, if the Coen brothers were directing mass at the Vatican City on a Sunday, I’d be there. 😁

This movie is actually a remake of the 1955 classic (IMDb). I caught the original at a local Cinema—personally, I found it much more moving than this little attempt by Brother Coen, even if the grandmother in this version isn't half bad at holding down the fort.

brightscout63 said:I just realized they translated the movie title as Gangster Five! 😂

Man, that translation is like some fifty-year-old relic and you're just now catching it.
Honestly, some things are better left alone. Trying to remake a masterpiece? Yeah, slim to none if you want it to actually make sense.

mistyfox812 said:That translation is a classic from fifty years ago, and you're just now catching it.

Give me a break... I've been busy with other stuff for the last 50 years...

brightscout63 said:Man... I've been busy with other stuff for the last 50 years...

Let's say, growing up 😁

I watched the movie and thought it was pretty solid. Look, I didn't catch the original 50 years ago, so I can't tell you if this remake hits harder or misses the mark, but either way, I'd recommend it to anyone into comedies.

It isn’t a bad flick, honestly—just a pretty easy watch. I really enjoyed the characters, especially that explosive guy, I can't quite recall his name, and the General.

"easiest thing in the world" 😁

I haven't actually seen the original one yet.

mistyfox812 said:Some things are just better left alone. Trying to remake a masterpiece usually ends up being pretty pointless.

Alright, finally sat down to watch it, so now I can officially disagree with myself. 😁
Even if it doesn't quite hit the heights of the original—or even the usual high bar set by the Coen brothers—it’s still a blast. That Pancake guy was great, and Wayans actually holds his own (turns out he can be hilarious when he's kept on a leash).

And honestly, that powerhouse actor totally settles the whole Griffin debate from that old "your casting for Alan Ford" thread.
Wayans would actually make a solid Bob Rock. 😁

I absolutely love the Coen brothers, but watching this particular movie... man, I actually felt secondhand embarrassment for them. You know that feeling? It’s just like when you’re watching some local amateur MMA fighter or a really cringe-worthy reality TV star on cable—you end up feeling awkward just because they exist.🙂

I really loved this one—honestly, it’s probably the only movie where Tom Hanks actually hits the mark for me. As for the Coens, watching their stuff feels like playing the lottery—you win some, you lose some. While O Brother, Where Art Thou? was a total bust for me, Barton Fink? That was incredible.👍 so yeah...

It looks like this was the final collab between Ethan and Joel Coen. They probably just got tired of working together and decided to go their separate ways... on their own filmmaking paths.
Which honestly makes sense.
Even back with The Man Who Wasn't There, you could tell they weren't really at the top of their game, and then with that absolute disaster Intolerable Cruelty, they pretty much hit rock bottom. As for The Ladykillers, I’d say that’s probably their second worst film, right behind Intolerable Cruelty.
To me, The Ladykillers feels like a cheap caricature of the kind of movies they used to make—only, you know, two notches lower in quality.
Still, because of masterpieces like Fargo, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona, and Blood Simple... they still hold a lot of credit with me.
And I really hope they find their way back to that 90s magic...

...I’m trying to dig up a specific memory from one of these movies, but I’m coming up empty. With >, I can't even recall if I actually liked it—maybe I was just desperate at the time. And >? Nothing. The Coens had such a brilliant run, but > felt like the end of an era for them. Not a glamorous or revolutionary end, either; more like an old guy telling a stale joke and then groaning. To me, > feels like that weird sensation of people who claim they've seen the afterlife. Is there anything out there? What's it like? My only answer is: I have no clue. I don't remember. All I can see is some bright light cutting through the dark in a theater...😢

Ed Wood said:Look, movies like Fargo, Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona, and Blood Simple... they still hold some weight with me.

you totally blanked on their best one.
the big lebowski.