The Producers

Not the usual remake. This film is based on the original state production of The Producers. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick bring the characters to life, as they sing and dance around the stage for what seems to be much longer than it really is. Fist, the setup: A broken producer overhears an off comment by his accountant about scheming money by designing a Broadway flop, and running with the money. The thing that goes wrong with their plan? The design a hit!

Now, let's talk about acting. Lane yes, Thurman, yes, Broderick no. Perhaps this was something he was going for, but I found that his acting in this film was way below par. He seemed to have more emotion in his role in Godzilla. But as I said, perhaps that was a character trait that he was going for. He seemed to just bumble around the film, staring off when reciting lines. I guess this is somewhat like the stage, but it just didn't work. Being a film maker myself, I can always tell when a stage actor is in a film. The camera, up close in your face, is somewhat of a truth machine, demonstrating your acting abilities. Though this film was based on a stage play, the actors didn't have to make it so overbearing. Feel free to disagree with me. I believe that they did a very good job. I just felt that the character portrayed by Broderick felt cardboard. Cutout. Template. However you want to say it.

Visually, the film was very fun. There were bright sequences, and flashy colors. The character's wardrobes brought out their actions and made them come alive. It was a fun watch, seeing them jumping everywhere, and singing and dancing.

But...there were problems with that. Songs would go on for what seemed to be overly too long. The first major song in the film was nearly 12 minutes. In a theatre, that's fine. For a film, not so much. I found myself getting somewhat bored with the songs, as they seemed to be the same tune, with modified words (sort of like watching Phantom of the Opera again)

If you like slapstick comedy, and singing, and dancing, this film will entertain you. If you have a hard time with plays and musicals, this film might not be your best choice. The actors did a wonderful job of making it look as if they were on stage in front of a Broadway audience, despite a camera in their face. And I think that's what sold the film to me. But, I'm not so sure that it was enough to make this a solid and entertaining film that I would recommend. Got some cash and a bowl of popcorn, go rent this DVD.

6 of 10