The Ladykillers

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The Ladykillers

R

2004

1h 44m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

189 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Professor G.H. Dorr (Tom Hanks), a courtly Southern gentleman, arrives at the home of devout, elderly Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), hoping to rent her extra room and use her basement to rehearse with his classical music ensemble. His fellow musicians, however, are actually criminals, and together they plan to rob a casino. When Mrs. Munson learns of their plan, they decide she must be silenced. Certainly, murdering one little old lady cannot be too difficult.

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Critics Consensus

Hanks' performance in the lead role is inspired, but this is a relatively minor offering from the Coen brothers.

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Will Self

London Evening Standard

01/09/2018

It is not the blockbuster the (Coen) brothers hanker after, and it is not going to be a critical success, but, for me, it is the best comedy they have managed.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/28/2010

3/5

Some wicked pleasures for mature teens and adults.

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David Edelstein

Slate

08/18/2007

The Ladykillers is small and compact -- it doesn't kill, it's just a doodle -- but it's a very pleasant cartoon for grown-ups. It's some sweet fodder.

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Tom Hutchinson

Radio Times

Aug 19

3/5

Hanks performs admirably as the eccentric Professor Goldthwait Higginson Dorr III, whose every utterance reeks of pompous southern verbosity.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/13/2020

3.0/4.0

Tom Hanks, who is pretty much one of the most dependable actors around these days, does what he can to make this character his own.

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

06/02/2020

2/5

The nadir of the Coen brothers' directorial career.

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Jason R

@J-Rush1411 Jun 25

Actually not a bad remake but it is a watch once kind of film

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Ben W

@Username618 Mar 21

So. The Coen bros were my favourites growing up- swear by. I then... had to account for myself. Couldn't. Swear at. If I'm being serious, and it's a difficult thought to express... I view their work less as a completed work, more as their telling us how they've been doing, suffused with what they've been reading; aaaand. I just find the contempt a bit stifling, sorry. Oeuvre. Making crime novels into film- Dashiell Hammet (Glass Key/ Miller's Crossing), Raymond Chandler (Long Goodbye/Big Lebowski), James M Cain (Postman always.../Man who was not...) , ... Fargo, Blood Simple. Making novels ?- True Grit; No Country for Old Men. Inside Llelwyn Davis, O Brother. A serious man. Barton Fink. Trying to be funny / screwball ? comedy- Hudsucker Proxy , Raising Arizona, The Ladykillers, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After Reading.

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rogerio s

@Roger31416 Nov 18

It doesn't have the best rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but think of Tom Hanks as the top cat, the boss in the cartoon Top Cat. Think of the woman's cat as a member of the gang. Then there are some new elements: the woman is Tom's (Tom and Jerry cartoon) owner, and the Mountain Girl is like Pig from Cezame Ville. New elements from various cartoons keep emerging along the course of the Mississippi, following the rhythm of the music, until everything ends just as it began…

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Stephen C

@bob25009 06/16/2025

Unfunny in 1 hour and 44 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Tilly B

@RT89634505 06/14/2025

The original Ealing film remains to the day one of the greatest comedies of all time. I high recommend it to anyone. This Coen brothers remake loses all of the charm and intensity of the original. The characters are cartoon like and unsympathetic. It is very difficult to care what happens to them.

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Conrad G

@RT18832189 05/08/2025

Hate on me all you want. I love this movie!

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Joel Coen

Director

Tom Hanks

Goldthwait Higginson Dorr III, Ph.D.

Irma P. Hall

Marva Munson

Marlon Wayans

Gawain McSam

J.K. Simmons

Garth Pancake

Tzi Ma

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Synopsis

Professor G.H. Dorr (Tom Hanks), a courtly Southern gentleman, arrives at the home of devout, elderly Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), hoping to rent her extra room and use her basement to rehearse with his classical music ensemble. His fellow musicians, however, are actually criminals, and together they plan to rob a casino. When Mrs. Munson learns of their plan, they decide she must be silenced. Certainly, murdering one little old lady cannot be too difficult.

Director: Joel Coen
Producer: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Barry Sonnenfeld
Screenwriter: Max D. Adams, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Jacobson Company
Rating: R (Sexual References|Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 26, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.7M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)