The most frustrating thing about The Ladykillers is that I really wanted to like the movie. As a lifelong Tom Hanks fan, I entered the theater with the mindset that I was in for a treat, and left feeling rather disappointed. In this re-telling of the 1955 British comedy by Alexander Mackendrick, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen adapt the tale to the Deep South, filling their movie with gospel music, grim humor and their trademark love of the American literary tradition. The Ladykillers is the story of a heist engineered by Professor Goldthwait Higgins Dorr III, Ph.D, played by Hanks (Forrest Gump). Professor Dorr is actually a con-artist and a thief, who uses the cellar of Marva Munson, played by Irma P. Hall (Patch Adams), to create a tunnel leading to a vault in a nearby riverboat casino. Dorr arranges a team of thieves, whom he tells Munson are "Renaissance musicians," each trained in a different area of expertise. Yet Dorr and his team are greatly misled; not only does their plan run into trouble every step of the way, they also fail to realize that they are no match for the mighty widower, Mrs. Munson.

The plot of The Ladykillers is one which has been told countless times before. The barrage of recent heist movies has reached a point of being almost tiring. Unfortunately, the Coen brothers change nothing about this premise to make the story more original or interesting. The thoroughly simple scheme involving an underground tunnel leading straight to a vault is rather tiresome, save for a few dynamite explosions. Their problems along the way are only slightly humorous and the grisly deaths which ensue are more macabre and disturbing than funny.

What ultimately saves The Ladykillers from being a total flop is the phenomenal acting performances of both Hanks and Hall. As a phony erudite professor, Hanks gives an impressive performance, spouting out Edgar Allan Poe quotes through his crooked and yellow teeth as if it were second nature (those unfamiliar with Poe should be prepared to miss a substantial portion of the dialogue). As Dorr's schemes continuously falls apart, Hanks' reactions are classic; whether hiding under a bed drinking tea or leading a meeting in a Waffle Hut, Hanks never fails to amuse his audience.

Hall, as the inimitable Marva Munson, is particularly hysterical throughout the film. Perhaps the best scene in the whole movie is the opening, when Munson enters the sheriff's office of her little town, complaining about this new "hippity-hop" music, declaring that we should know better in an "age of Montell." Although not particularly observant regarding the scheme taking place in her basement, Munson is a shrewd character nonetheless, managing to maintain a hold over the five experts that is so strong, they attempt to kill her to save their money.
Although the other actors in the movie have their moments, none of them even compares in their performances to those of Hanks and Hall. Garth Pancake played by J.K. Simmons (Spiderman) and Gawain MacSam, played by Marlon Wayans (Scary Movie) bicker throughout the film, providing humorous verbal abuse.

Although these characters have the potential to be funny, a big problem with the movie is its use of the same jokes over and over again. For example, Pancake's Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) causes him to have attacks and need to use the bathroom at the most inopportune times. Yet by the fifth time this happens, it is no longer funny or amusing, but instead rather annoying. Additionally, the General, played by Tzi Ma (Rush Hour), says probably 10 words during the entire movie, and after the first two, it probably would have been better if he stopped speaking. His repeated joke is that he hides his burning cigarette in his mouth to avoid a scolding by Munson, who prohibits smoking in her house. Yet once again, this joke loses its appeal as it occurs throughout the film. Lastly, the character of Lump, the dumb football player, played by Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans) is a character that the movie probably could have done without. His stupidity and his uselessness add nothing to the film.

The gospel music soundtrack that is heard throughout the movie provides an undertone of religious fervor, yet it is rather grim. The movie leaves its audience with a very unsettled feeling. After watching several untimely deaths, bodies thrown into a dumpster on the water, a severed finger carried in the mouth of a cat and a man plagued by his IBS, the only thing I felt was uncomfortable and I continued to squirm in my seat as the credits began to roll.

Although I would not go so far as to call The Ladykillers bad, since it does have a few memorable scenes and some great acting-Hanks is still my favorite actor-I would certainly not recommend it too enthusiastically. Ultimately, the movie was a let down. Trite, unoriginal and only mildly funny, The Ladykillers unfortunately did not live up to its potential and perhaps is a story which did not need to be retold.