Peter Sanderson (Martin) is a divorcee who spends some of his personal time in a legal chat room, flirting with a woman he hasn't seen. His interest in her grows into a small infatuation after she sends a picture of herself via email. But when the two meet, he gets a big surprise. She's not the woman in the picture; at least not the woman seen up close in the picture. It turns out that she is an African American woman named Charlene Morton (Latifah), a criminal on parole who is seen getting arrested in the background of the picture she has sent. Slowly, Charlene begins to take over Peter's life, but perhaps that's a good thing. Despite his divorce, he and his ex-wife Kate (Jean Smart), still have feelings for each other. Having divorced because of his excessive work habits, Charlene tries to teach Peter the joys of life and how to appreciate the importance of his neglected family.

Veteran actresses Betty White and Joan Plowright are downright hilarious in their small roles, and Eugene Levy has an amusing role as Martin's best friend, who begins to fall head over heels for Charlene, further complicating matters.

Betty White is painfully funny and shocking as Martin's elderly neighbor. She is as racist as they come, jabbering cruel lines of racist dialogue (a less racy but more offensive send-up of her "Lake Placid" role). Don't take her comments to heart, though. The film is just trying to show how biggoted some people can be. (It's a shame how people like her actually exist.) Joan Plowright portrays a heiress client of Martin. She proves to be a great comedic actress, especially in the hilarious climactic nightclub scene.

Missi Pyle is fantastic as Kate's sister, a sort of Anna Nicole Smith type who takes pleasure out of dating older men. I could never have imagined Pyle in such a role, but she's great! Even Jean Smart is perfect for her role as the ex. Her Southern accent really gives her added sex appeal.

This is a predictable film, but it is also one of the funniest films to come out in the past year. It is a simple, smart, and fun comedy that's a pure joy to watch. Clever dialogue, touching moments, and a great cast are a plus. Martin and Latifah (so brilliant in Chicago) show off their wonderful comedic talents and have amazing chemistry together. The film is a bit raunchy at times, but oh so funny...recommended for a good hearty laugh!!!!

5/5 Make a House call!
  by Daryl B (Nashville, Tennessee United States)
I love going to a movie where the audience laughs during the entire movie (intentionally, that is). I wasn't expected to have so much fun during this movie but it proved to be a laugh riot. Steve Martin and Queen Latifah make a great comedy team . The supporting actors only add to the fun. Betty White as Martin's racists/homophobic neighgbor, Joan Plowright as a rigid heiress that Martin needs to bring as a client to his law firm, and Eugene Levy is hilarious as Steve Martin's best friend at the law firm, who makes no qualms about his feelings for Latifah's Charlene. The fight scene between Latifah and actress Missi Pyle is worth the admission alone. I recommended this film to a friend at work who later told me that she and her husband thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm betting you will too. Its a great film to take a group of friends to and just laugh and be silly.

5/5 The whole theatre was laughing
  by
I caught a sneak preview. I was not quite sure what to expect when I went to see this but I like both Queen Latifah and Steve Martin and expected to have fun. The movie was a riot! Steve Martin is funny and uptight in a seemingly whole new way and the movie has lots of unexpected twists that both crank up the laughs and the plot. The whole theatre was in stitches
There is the natural play between Latifah from the "hood" and Martin from the "uppercrust" but I didn't feel messaged by the movie.
Everyone is different but just relax and go laugh at this one, even as I was watching it I wanted to come and see it again.

5/5 Bringing Down The Theater With Laughs!
  by Aaron Edson (usa)
Good comedy is hard to find at the movies. I'm talking about a funny film full of punch lines, perfectly timed physical comedy, and most important, a naturally humorous plot line with characters we actually care about. If you think for a minute or two, it is tough to recall the last comedy you saw that had all these components.
The run off the mill romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days opened at the start of February. If you want to know how to lose a guy in ten days, you can easily lose him after 10 minutes of making him watch this. Two weeks later, the slapstick comedy Old School opened. Too bad it seems that the writer forgot to add a plot to all the overdone, and unoriginal gags. And now, another two weeks later on March 7th, Bringing Down the House will debut at theaters. I was lucky enough to catch this at a sneek showing that played last Saturday, 2 weeks before the movie actually opens!
Steve Martin and Queen Latifa star in what is the first, truly hilarious movie of 2003. This is definitely Martin's best since Father of the Bride, and the Queen continues her impressive film career adding this on to her resume, right under the ever-popular Chicago. Both have excellent skill in a film like this, and they work well with each other creating enough comic chemistry to blow the theater doors open.
The movies plot centers around Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin). He's a fast track lawyer with an ex-wife and two children that he never seems to have time for. While chatting online, he meets Charlene, and sets up a blind date to meet her. He's expecting a slim, blonde in her thirties, and is shocked when the hip, grooving Charlene Morton (Queen Latifa) shows up at his door.
The plot takes off from there as the odd pair starts a friendship, and while Charlene persuades him to take her criminal case ("I did the time, but I didn't do the crime baby"), she ends up teaching him more about life, relationships, and his family, than he has learned in a long time.
Though Steve Martin and Queen Latifa are the stars, an excellent, first-rate supporting cast surrounds them. First off, Eugene Levy, whom many of us know as Jim's dad from the American Pie franchise, plays Steve Martin's best friend and legal partner who becomes infatuated with Charlene's sex appeal. Other recognizable faces are a racist neighbor played by Betty White from the Golden Girls, and Joan Plowright, who co-starred as Mrs. Wilson in Dennis the Menace, as a prim and proper client of Peter Sanderson.
Martin hasn't seen a role this good in a while. It gives him the opportunity to show off his talents for humorous facial expressions, and physical comedy. Also, Queen Latifa has the spotlight on her in her best starring role to date. Though the plot might not seem completely original from what is described above, there are many twists and turns that keep the film pumping full of laughs all the way through, keeping it always fresh and new.
Overall, there isn't much more to include because I don't want to spoil any of the surprises the film springs on you. All I can say is I didn't stop laughing from the first five minutes until the closing credits. The Queen is currently working on the film Cheaper By the Dozen, co-starring Steve Martin. We could possibly be looking at a new comedy dream team. Whether we are or not, what they do in Bringing Down the House works. And it brings the audience to their knees with laughter!

3/5 Amusing But A Nothing Special Story
  by G. J Wiener (Westchester, NY USA)
Steve Martin and Queen Latifah put on a good performance in the movie Bringing Down The House. Martin's shifts from being an uptight lawyer to posing as a hip rapper. His antics in the club are truly amusing. Queen Latifah plays her part with conviction as a troubled woman trying to clear her name in an armed robbery. She looks towards Martin as the missing piece to resolving her dilemna. Eugene Levy is quite entertaining as Martin's side kick. He varies his role ever so slightly from the series of American Pie movies. But the fit is a good one.

The storyline however is a bit ridiculous. How Queen Latifah's character takes over Martin's palce with a gangster party questions the authenticy of Martin's security system which was employed only a couple of scenes earlier. Also the many shifts with Latifah being a maid and a love interest grows a little cumbersome in spots.

If you do not take this movie too seriously you might like it. However Martin has been in better efforts like both Father of the Bride movies, Dirty Rotton Scoundrels, and The Jerk. Latifah also fares better in the critically acclaimed Chicago. A middle of the road movie this definitely is.