DVD: The Ladykillers

Are the Coen brothers becoming more mainstream or is the mainstream becoming more Coen brothers. Whichever is the case The Ladykillers, like the underrated Intolerable Cruelty before it, shows the Coen brothers producing a oddball laugh out loud film that should appeal to all without overly diluting their trademark quirkiness.

Tom Hanks shows that comedy is still his forte with an inspired turn as the verbose professor masterminding a heist from an old ladies basement. His cronies may snatch many of the laughs but Irma P Hall steals the film as the old lady who won't take any back chat. This isn't in the same class as films like The Big Lebowski and O Brother but is a still a fine lightweight comedy.