'Tower Heist' is a fun, convoluted, energetic heist movie with the added feel-goodliness of revenge on an obvious Bernie Madoff character, Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). Ben Stiller (Josh Kovacs), the brains behind the heist, is out to recoup the investments Shaw stole in his Ponzi scheme from all of the employees at the Tower were Kovacs is the building manager and Shaw lives in the luxurious penthouse apartment. Kovacs recruits a couple of employees from the Tower (Casey Affleck and Gabourey Sidibe), one evicted former tenant (Matthew Broderick) and a Brooklyn neighbor who already has a long rap sheet for theft (Eddie Murphy). There are the requisite thrills, dizzying heights, and last minute scheme changes. Almost thoroughly satisfying. If only it were the retelling of an actual theft of Madoff's still-hidden fortune. Where is he hiding it? How much has been confiscated and returned to victims in auction profits? This would be a great addition to the growing ranks of films in the Occupy Hollywood genre. And by the way, how can Madoff's wife and son profit from his crimes with the publication of their 'tell all' book? What have they been living off since his incarceration? Somebody write this quick. This could be another theft comedy -- this time with the Ponzi perpetrator's family still profiting from the felony.
Tower Heist
Director: Brett Ratner
Writers: Ted Griffin, Jeff Nathanson, Adam Cooper, Bill Collage
Cast: Ben Stiller, Alan Alda, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Judd Hirsch, Tea Leoni, Stephen Henderson, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Peña, Nina Arianda, Robert Downey, Sr.
Time: 104 min.
Rating: PG-13
Opening November 4 at the Metreon, AMC Van Ness, Balboa Twin, Presidio, San Francisco
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