Josh Kovaks is the manager of an exclusive residential skyscraper in New York and Author Shaw is the most valued resident; he may live in the penthouse suite but he hasn't forgotten his roots and is well liked by the buildings staff. Then one day Josh witnesses what he thinks is a kidnap attempt; he gives chase only to discover that far from being an kidnapping Shaw was trying to escape before the FBI could arrest him! He is accused of swindling people out of millions of dollars
this includes the building's staff who trusted their pension funds to him. Kovaks takes it well at first but when he learns that the doorman attempted suicide because he had lost his life savings to he loses his temper and pays Shaw a visit. This leads to him losing his job after he attack's Shaw's prized Ferrari with a golf club. Seeking revenge on Shaw he and a few others plan to break into his apartment where they are convinced he has a hidden safe containing millions
they just have to get past the FBI guards; find the money then get it out!
Advertised as a comedy I was surprised how serious things were at first; people losing their money and attempted suicide aren't exactly hilarious
thankfully once they decide to rob Shaw things get much funnier. It isn't a gag-fest but there are plenty of laugh out loud moments which are funny precisely because they are played straight. Ben Stiller does a good job as Kovaks; a nice but essentially ordinary guy; Eddie Murphy is funny if unsubtle as the thief they get to help them and Alan Alda is delightfully unpleasant as Shaw; the sort of man who would be polite and proper while stealing from your grandmother. The rest of the cast, which includes some well known actors perform well too. The heist itself is fairly thrilling; it should keep acrophobics on the edge of their seats as the group try to get away with their valuable haul! The way the money is hidden is rather far-fetched but that is part of the fun and if you don't think about it too hard it should be possible to suspend ones disbelief and have a good laugh.
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