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The Producers Review

Release Date: Dec 16, 2005
Rated: sexual humor and references
Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.
Genres: Comedy, Music/Performing Arts
Director:Susan Stroman
Cast:Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Gary Beach. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

1.5

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Oy. Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

3.0

52

out of 100

Metascore^®
Mixed or average reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
20

out of 100

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
The Producers is nightmarish, in its febrile way, a head-bangingly primitive version of an overrated Broadway show that grew out of a clumsy 1968 movie with an inflated reputation.
40

out of 100

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust
Whereas the original film is gleefully crass and energetically paced, the movie musical, weighing in at a robust two-plus hours, is bloated and self-satisfied. Whatever spectacle the stage musical possessed to make it such a box-office behemoth fails to transfer to the screen.

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40

out of 100

The New York Times Dana Stevens
Ms. Thurman is the one bit of genuine radiance in this aggressively and pointlessly shiny, noisy spectacle.

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50

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
The accountant in Bloom would probably approve of the new Producers: It's an efficient extension of a popular brand. In theory, what's not to like? In reality, the whole schmear.

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50

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
The best two performances belong to Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell. For the film to work, though, the two best roles should belong to Tony-winning Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in the title roles.

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60

out of 100

Variety Todd McCarthy
So determinedly old-fashioned it makes a strong claim to being the best film musical of 1959.

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63

out of 100

USA Today Claudia Puig
Enough is enough. Somebody should just stop remaking The Producers.

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75

out of 100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
It was fun, it was funny, it was alive.

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See all The Producers reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 14+

Long, too-faithful film of stage musical.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this film includes broad physical and what might be termed "vaudevillian" humor: ethnic, gay, and sex jokes, with language that might need explanation for younger viewers ("I shall take your virginity!" "You had to schtupp every little old lady in New York..."). The film also makes fun of a neurotic man's blanket fixation, Nazis/Hitler, prison, accountants, and actors ("Kill all ze actors!"). Since the movie is a satire, only kids old enough to recognize the movie's tongue in cheek references should see it.

Families can talk about the nature of satire. How does the movie make humor out of crooks, Nazis and sex with old ladies? How can it get away with jokes based on homosexual and heterosexual stereotyping?

The good stuff

Messages: The producers scam wealthy women to put up their show. Also the movie satirizes the Nazis and the protagonists are crooks.

What to watch for

Violence: Minor roughhousing, jokes about Nazis.
Sex: Bawdy sex jokes, including references to virginity, bosoms/bottoms, showgirls, elderly women exchanging money for sex.
Language: Satiric jokes regarding gay men, Nazis.
Consumerism: Visual references to some brands (White Rock) and NYC landmark, Sardis.
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Cigar smoking/chewing.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.346

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by TerpsFan72

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