A lethargic remake of the Ealing classic of the same name, The Ladykillers represents something of an off day for the Coen brothers. Charitably described as gentle, this comedy - while not without its moments - fails to get into its stride, lacking edge or urgency. In a strange, but enjoyable performance, Hanks plays Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, Ph.D., a self-styled master thief. Having assembled a motley crew of cons, he decides to take on the huge job of robbing a riverboat casino in Mississippi, which will set them all up for life. His base is the house of an old lady, Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), a widowed busybody who always seems to be about to discover the fraudulent professor's criminal intent. As the title indicates, slowly but surely, the gang of thieves realise that they have to off the old dear before she cops on to what they're up to.
Filmed at an extremely leisurely pace, the faux southern fried antics of The Ladykillers takes forever to get going. For once, the Coens seem to be lacking the killer comedic edge which they bring to so much of their work, while the pacing of the film ensures that it is bereft of momentum and drive. Hanks is an enjoyable presence in the central role, but his performance merely emphasises the void at the heart of The Ladykillers. The music's fantastic but you expect more from a Coen brother movie.
