Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- wry
- absurd
- macabre
- dark comedy night
- coen brothers marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found Tom Hanks and Irma P. Hall effective within an over-the-top, relatively minor Coen brothers remake that struggles to match the charm of the original.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Professor G.H. Dorr uses elaborate Southern gentleman manners, literary speech, and musical performance to gain Marva Munson's trust while organizing the casino robbery.
The gang rents a room in Marva's home, turning the elderly woman's house into both their operational base and the source of their greatest danger.
The thieves' robbery plan, attempted murder, and repeated incompetence are presented with broad, Looney Tunes-like exaggeration and macabre comic timing.
The planned theft from the casino next door supplies the gang's objective and drives their interactions with Marva and one another.
Films like The Ladykillers, and why
Fargo
Shares a comic heist premise, eccentric criminals, escalating incompetence, and a darkly playful tone.
Raising Arizona
Combines criminal plotting with absurd character comedy, regional eccentricity, and violence treated through a stylized comic lens.
A Fish Called Wanda
Features an ensemble of bungling criminals, a tightly wound robbery scheme, and a blend of farce with menace.
The Trouble with Harry
Reworks classic crime-comedy conventions through eccentric personalities, escalating complications, and macabre humor.
Movie Details
- Directors
- Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
- Release Date
- 2004-03-25
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (1808)
Cast
- Tom Hanks
- Irma P. Hall
- Marlon Wayans
- J.K. Simmons
- Tzi Ma
- Ryan Hurst
- Diane Delano
- George Wallace
- John McConnell
- Jason Weaver
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ladykillers about?
- An impeccably mannered professor assembles a disastrously eccentric gang for a casino heist, only to find their seemingly harmless landlady is impossible to eliminate.
- What is The Ladykillers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ladykillers as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Ladykillers violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Ladykillers as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Ladykillers?
- Critics broadly found Tom Hanks and Irma P. Hall effective within an over-the-top, relatively minor Coen brothers remake that struggles to match the charm of the original.
- Which films are like The Ladykillers?
- Films with a similar feel include Fargo, Raising Arizona, A Fish Called Wanda, and The Trouble with Harry.
- How long is The Ladykillers?
- The Ladykillers runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ladykillers?
- In United States, The Ladykillers is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
