If you’re in the mood to watch a good heist movie this Thanksgiving, you might well consider rewatching “Ocean’s Eleven” or “The Asphalt Jungle.” But none of these classics have a Thanksgiving theme, and neither features Eddie Murphy. To meet that very specific criteria, you’ll have to turn your attention to 2011’s “Tower Heist,” which may not belong on the list of greatest heist movies ever made, but it’s a lot of fun, has a pretty impressive cast, and is available on Netflix right now.
The heist comedy comes courtesy of director-turned-persona non grata Brett Ratner, whose “Rush Hour” films are a good reference point for the light-hearted antics found in this 2011 effort. Like those Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker-led action comedies, “Tower Heist” also features a comedy duo consisting of Murphy and co-star Ben Stiller, who plot together to steal the fortune of a wealthy businessman whose questionable dealings cost the building staff their pensions. But they are also bolstered by an excellent cast consisting of Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Michael Peña, Alan Alda, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni and Gabourey Sidibe.
Was the film a huge success? Not really. Did the critics love it? Some have done it! But Netflix is nothing more than a place to reevaluate Hollywood’s forgotten projects, buried by the waves of “content” that continue to surge with alarming regularity. “Tower Heist” definitely fits that bill. It features great comedic talents and true Hollywood legends in a film that should provide ideal light entertainment ahead of Turkey Day 2025.
What is Tower Heist about?
“Tower Heist” may not have earned a huge fortune in 2011, but it’s arguably an underrated heist movie, at least compared to some of Netflix’s modern heist thrillers, which have dominated the charts while earning extremely low scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also sees Eddie Murphy doing what he does best: being a funny guy. After years of playing family and voicing a CGI donkey, Murphy returned in “Tower Heist” to remind everyone why he was so beloved as a comedic actor, and his performance was clearly a highlight.
In “Tower Heist,” he is joined by Ben Stiller as Josh Kovaks, the manager of a swanky New York skyscraper inhabited by Wall Street billionaire Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). After Shaw is accused of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme, Kovaks and his team realize they could lose their pensions and take on the compromised billionaire, only to be fired. In an attempt to balance and secure their pensions, Kovaks, concierge Charlie Gibbs (Casey Affleck), former tower resident Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick), elevator operator Enrique Dev’reaux (Michael Peña), and housekeeper Odessa Montero (Gaborey Sidibe) turn to petty crook Darnell “Slide” Davis (Murphy), who helps the crew plan a heist. The plan: Break into Shaw’s house during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and steal his $20 million stash. As you can imagine, things don’t quite go as planned, but it’s fun to watch the actors compete against each other, even if the light social commentary is barely perfunctory.
Is Tower Heist worth watching?
When “Tower Heist” debuted in 2011, the film grossed $152.9 million at the box office against a budget of $75 million. If you know anything about how the movie box office actually works, you’ll know that this means it probably didn’t generate much, if anything, in terms of profit. But it certainly wasn’t a disaster. When the film was released theatrically, /Film called “Tower Heist” an “almost passable comedy.” Many other critics, however, were actually quite impressed by the film, although no one was particularly convinced by the film’s attempts to comment on income inequality.
A 67% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes isn’t too bad. Writing for the Associated Press, Christy Lemire praised Murphy for adopting “his classic comic mode”, noting how “it is difficult to concentrate on anyone or anything else” when he is on screen. “It’s like we went back in time and erased all those family screw-ups and lame laughs,” she wrote, echoing several other critics who were visibly happy to see the Murphy of old return. The Arizona Republic’s Bill Goodykoontz, for example, simply wrote, “Man, it’s good to see Murphy being funny again,” while Empire’s Nick De Semlyen called Murphy’s performance a “welcome return to form.”
J.R. Jones of the Chicago Reader, however, felt differently, writing that “Tower Heist” was “highly recommended if you want to see an assortment of rich movie stars feel your pain.” In an equally negative 2.5 star review, the late, great Roger Ebert wrote: “It’s not a great heist movie for many reasons, starting with the stupidity of its heist plan and the impossibility of these characters succeeding in anything more complex than waiting in line.” » If you want to make up your own mind, “Tower Heist” is currently streaming on Netflix.
