Coluna Claquete - December, 23th 2011

Movie of the Week: "Tower Heist"

Almost every day we see on our newscasts pessimistic news about the shortfall of Social Security, while retirees complain about the lack of pension increase. But, imagine if there were no Social Security - and worse - if a smart guy stole your savings for retirement ? This is the theme of the movie "Tower Heist" recently debuted in our theaters.

Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) is the efficient manager of one of the most luxurious buildings in New York. He commands a small army of employees who serve the demanding population of the condominium, at the same time as he needs to have a hip to solve more complicated cases, how to convince an unemployed executive to deliver the apartment that was taken by the bank.

One of the most important residents of the building is Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda), the wealthy occupant of the coverage, which, despite having come from the same neighborhood that Josh, has made his fortune in the financial world of Wall Street.

One day Josh realizes a strange movement and sees Shaw been taken to a laundry van. Thinking that it was a kidnapping, he tries to stop the action of criminals, until he discovers a very different reality. In fact, Shaw was trying to run away, being stopped by the FBI, who arrested him for crimes against the financial market.

Stunned, Josh discovers that Shaw has lost all the money he had in fraudulent transactions, and also the money of all his investors, which included the retirement savings of all personnel of the building - and Josh's money too.

When an employee of the building attempts to commit suicide, in despair because he was on the verge of retirement, Josh Shaw invades the apartment, where Shaw is kept under house arrest, and damage a Ferrari exposed in the living room - and that is believed to have belonged to Steve McQueen.

But who was a king never loses his majesty, and while Josh and two colleagues are fired, for the damage to the Ferrari, Shaw is released, and may have filed the case.

Josh has the sympathy of the agent Fiansen Gertie (Tea Leoni), who heads the group that the FBI investigates and guards the financier. In a more relaxed conversation she comments that they do not yet know where Shaw hid his nest-egg, the money that every rogue reserve for when he need to escape.

Joining his knowledge of the building with the frustration against Shaw, Josh comes to the conclusion that money should be in a safe hidden in the apartment of financier. The problem is that the safe is in a building where he is forbidden to enter, and in an apartment that is guarded 24 hours by FBI agents.

He invites the group most affected by Shaw to participate in his plan: Cole (Casey Afleck), the brother-in-law, whose wife is about to have a son, Dev'Reaux (Michael Peña), a former elevator operator, and Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick) , a bankrupt former executive who is a genius with numbers.

What the group lacked more was the criminal experience. To do this, Josh turns to a childhood friend, Slide (Eddie Murphy) tha was the only thief he knew. To convince him, Josh had to get him out of jail and bring the group to several tests proposed by the new member.

The problem is that Slide was a thief of satellite dishes, and knew nothing about safes. To solve this problem, Josh convinces Odessa (Gabourey Sidibe), a Jamaican maid, that was daughter of a locksmith, to join the band.

Thereafter, the group performs a preposterous plan to fool the feds, causing them to exit the building, while Josh and his friends break into the apartment without being noticed, to try to find money of Shaw. To give more excitement, betrayals happen, a lot of surprises, and the biggest disappointment is when they discover that the money from the financier is not as available as it seemed.

"Tower Heist" follows a long tradition of movies about elaborate robberies, which began with the first version of "Ocean's Eleven" with Frank Sinatra and his gang. While there have been many other films on the theme, more sophisticated, perhaps what attract more in the current film is its verisimilitude.

It is not news to anyone that the biggest thieves of today are men in ties, with expensive suits and beautiful conversations, which make millions of dollars disappear almost magically. It would be better if it were not true, that many who lose money, especially in the U.S., were not the small savers, who often invest their money in the financial market.

The stars of the film are two well known actors, Stiller and Murphy, not very successful in their choices, especially Eddie Murphy, who insisted on exaggerated and grotesque characters, such as "Nutty Professor" and "Norbit." The one that steals the scene, wherever appears, is the chubby Gabourey Sidibe, who proves to worth the Oscar nomination for Best Actress for "Precious."

A pleasant surprise was the appearance of two big names already half forgotten. Alan Alda, who has been leading man in many films of past decades, brings to life a believable villain, friendly, cynical and cruel, as you can imagine a Wall Street executive. The other name is Matthew Broderick, light years away from the Ferris Bueller of "Bueller's Day Off", but still brings a charm and innocence to the executive unemployed.

The script was able to dose and humor and action, ignoring the sex and violence, to make a "family" film, fun and full of action. It is very good to see that is possible make pure and simple fun without exaggerations or low-level jokes.

I found through the end somewhat moralist, for this type of film, but with the financial shenanigans that are happening in real life, it is better do not stimulate a reaction against financial speculators - at least no more than is already happening with the "indignants" in Europe, and "Ocuppy Wall Street" movement, in the United States.