![]() ![]() ![]() He gives it a soul it was never meant to have. But Henderson, by then, has proven so infectious in the part that he’s already broken your heart in a way that bruises the movie. It’s the only way to keep the caper light and exciting. Henderson is a veteran of August Wilson’s plays, and his emotional realism is almost too tender, so the movie forgets about him for a good long stretch. I imagine Ruth Madoff would have an impossible time selling her side of the story to dupes like him. He does, but you don’t forget the spring in his step on his last day then the blues in his voice when his retirement turns out to be a mirage (“29 years of opening doors’’). Lester (Stephen Henderson) is the freshly retired doorman who’s so down in the dumps about losing everything he invested that he feels like he can’t go on. In “Tower Heist,’’ here’s all I thought as a vintage Ferrari dangles from the tower or as Gabourey Sidibe, playing a safecracking Jamaican maid, dirty-talks to Murphy: What about Lester? In an “Ocean’s’’ movie that’s fine - the ludicrous innovations of movie-heist mechanics are what you pay to see. ![]() Everything he says is tired, but confidence and gusto count for a lot in a movie like this, and that’s Murphy here: scene after scene of jive gusto. It’s really a sketch of his Buddy Love concoction from the “Nutty Professor’’ movies crossed with Murphy’s brother Charlie. Murphy is just one of the many all-stars in the cast of 'Tower Heist,' Ratners upcoming heist comedy that centers on a New York City high-rise buildings staff working together to rip off one of. The Thanksgivingness of things isn’t lost on Murphy, who’s back doing jive turkey. Stiller, of course, knows nothing about breaking and entering but bails out the loudmouth, do-ragged crook (Murphy) he passes every day on his way into Manhattan from Queens and asks him to help him and his accomplices - Matthew Broderick, Michael Peña, and Casey Affleck - pull this off. Stiller puts on an ethnic New York voice to play the building manager of a busy, Trumpy Columbus Circle high-rise, who leads the charge to break into the apartment of a Wall Street billionaire (Alan Alda) under FBI house arrest for stealing millions from investors. It’s not going for too much, but I laughed a lot, despite knowing better, which was more or less any time Eddie Murphy says anything to Ben Stiller. “Tower Heist’’ is smoothly made and smart enough. From left: Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Michael Peña, Casey Affleck, and Eddie Murphy in “Tower Heist.’’ david lee/universal pictures ![]()
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