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Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: 'Tower Heist' Is a Comical Caper With Occupy Wall Street Undertones

Get ready for a comedy about a bunch of co-workers who turn the tables on a Bernie Madoff-type bad guy.

Ben Stiller plays an apartment building manager who, along with the other building staff members, gets ripped off by penthouse resident Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). When the employees realize they have been swindled, they plan their revenge in the form of a "Tower Heist."

After an FBI agent (played by Tea Leoni) leaks word about a large stash of cash in Shaw's apartment, Stiller's character hires Slide, a two-bit cat burglar played by Eddie Murphy, to plan the heist. When Murphy makes it on the screen, about 40 minutes in, the moviefinally picks up.

"Tower Heist" spends the rest of its running time tracking the staff members (played by Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Michael Pena and Gabourey Sidibe) as they try to infiltrate the penthouse and locate the hidden millions. The movie is smart, streetwise, and sassy -- with most of that supplied by Eddie Murphy.

Director Brett Ratner does a great job of putting together a ensemble cast and giving a sort of Occupy Wall Street feel to the movie. You want the 99 percent -- the underdogs -- to win, but do they? Find out for yourself.

The flick-o-meter gives "Tower Heist" a four out of five. It is good to see Murphy back doing what he does best, but I was hoping that it would sooner than 40 minutes into the film.

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