Welcome to Collinwood (2002)

Poor losers dream big
I cannot say how many times I laughed during this film. I'm really at a loss for how some of the other reviewers were disappointed. I have seen the original "Big Deal on Madonna Street" and although I generally find foreign films much better than their American counterparts, I like "Collinwood" much better. It's funnier, for one thing. The comedy has better delivery, the characters are more solid, and the story more clear.

It is very easy to sympathize with these characters despite all their faults, dishonesty, and criminal behavior. Don't be mistaken - there are some very human moments to offset the funny parts. There are many one-liners, quips, arguments, friendly insults, physical humor, scheming, and the overall situation of never getting things quite right during an attempted heist.

What a great cast too - every one of them perfectly selected for their roles. I love this movie. Not too light and not too heavy. It's just right. Great soundtrack too. This movie was in the official selection at Cannes in 2002.

Funny, funny, funny !
This is just a great movie. Lots of laughs a must have for your video library!

It'll make you keep pressing that REWIND button.
This movie had me laughing all the way.

It all takes place as a crook gets nabbed for grand theft auto. Right away he is hauled off and forced to share the cell with a man who has a funny secret and traditionally wants to pass it onto someone before he dies laughingly. But this is not a story about the old man. This is a story of a group of not-too-smart criminals in pulling off a master of a 'belini', what is referred to in the film as the Big Hiest.

But first, they need a 'Lavenski', a person to take the wrap for the man in jail, you'll find that the movie makes up a lot of words but you'll get the hang of understanding them all.

The group is formed when each member is requested to become the lavinski for the mere sum of 15,000 dollars. But, in telling that person, the word spreads, as they search for a lavinski, of the job and of it's grand total that racks into close to 300,000 dollars.

These bumbling knuckle heads pay tribute to the likes of THE THREE STOOGES and THE MARXX BROTHERS in their gags and criminal endeavors. Some of the humor is in your face at times but there are other times where it's just crossing wittiness and absoultely gut-busting funny. The best character in this movie would have to be The hunching old man with red hair. He's the classic old-timer crook who sometimes doesn't have a clue.

You'll fall in love with this homage to heist comedies. It has a 1930's flavor but the time period is never really annoucned in the movie. But the costumes play a role in dipicting the fictionalized town.

Also, be on the look out for GEORGE CLOONEY who plays a small role in the film, after all, of course he would, he's one of the executive producers.

This is a very funny movie that will have you laughing out loud. You may not like the ending but you'll love all of the gags in between.

Enjoy!