at anything more complex than standing in line", but appreciated that the comedy did not "go heavy on the excremental, the masturbatory and symphonies of four-letter words", calling it "funny in an innocent screwball kind of way". Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly called the film "overblinged, eye-catching, and essentially tacky", and praised Murphy, saying "when Murphy is on screen, his comedic vigor ... gooses the movie's energy level ... but whenever Murphy wanders off, the movie's pulse rate drops. Tower Heist is in effect two movies: One belongs to Murphy, the other to the rest of the cast." Time Out Londons Trevor Johnston said that "though it's hard to get excited by this amiable potboiler, Tower Heist is so at home with its limitations it's equally hard to dislike", but criticized the finale "which might have been a bit more tense had we been able to take it remotely seriously". Time Out New Yorks David Fear gave it 2 out of 5 stars, saying "one nail-biting moment and some much-missed Murphy mouthiness won't keep you from feeling like you're the one being ripped off." The New Yorker Anthony Lane criticized the plot, saying "toss everything you can find, starting with roughly diced plots, into the blender: such appears to be the method behind Tower Heist." Lane called the characters "unlikable people" but offered praise to Broderick, saying he "underplays [the character] so well". Lane lamented that "the notion of a theft from the thieves – from those who are lapped in lofty, screw you wealth – is a tempting one right now, but Tower Heist passes the buck." Varietys Peter Debruge was also critical, saying the film "goes wonky on the way to the bank, due to its lackluster pacing and shortage of the qualities that typically earn stars Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy their paychecks – namely, laughs." Debruge felt that the opening 40 minutes were "a dull blue-collar drama populated entirely by stereotypes", and while the film "picks up some much-needed momentum" with the actual heist, the "resolution feels rushed". Debruge echoed praise for Murphy, calling his performance "a welcome return to the comic's irreverent, '80s-era persona", and lamenting his limited screen-time. Accolades Tower Heist received two NAACP Image Award nominations, for Outstanding Motion Picture and Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for Eddie Murphy. References External links 2011 films 2011 comedy films 2010s American films 2010s crime