Murphy's performance was a return to form as "the rude, confrontational, wiseass Murphy audiences have nearly forgotten after all the silly kid comedies and heavy-makeup outings of recent years", and said that with his introduction "the film's energy and amusement level kick up a few notches", but that the enjoyment ebbs during the actual break-in, in which "Murphy becomes neutered ... and the logistics of the heist become too far-fetched and laborious." New Yorks David Edelstein called it "a shameless but exuberantly well-done caper comedy", and praised the performances of Stiller, Murphy and Leoni, saying "Ben Stiller ... and Eddie Murphy ... show off two of the best fastballs in comedy, and Téa Leoni's best scene as an FBI agent – drunk, both sloppy and blunt – makes you wish she had more." Emanuel Levy called Tower Heist a "formulaic, haphazardly plotted action comedy ... whose best asset is its strong ensemble." Levy said "What makes the picture ... work is not its plot, which is overly familiar and utterly implausible, but the socio-psychological dynamics that prevail among the [characters]." Levy singled out Stiller as "well cast" and Sidibe as having "some of the picture's best lines", but gave individual praise to Murphy, saying that he "dominates the second half of the picture", rendering "a joyous performance that recalls his witty, charming, streetwise roles of the 1980s". Empires Nick de Semlyen awarded the film three out of five stars, calling it "fun if uneven stuff from Ratner", with a "fairly dull" opening act. Semlyen said it was "a welcome return to form for Eddie Murphy", but was critical that he is "sorely underused". Semlyen praised Alda, saying that it is his "smarm offensive that turns out to be the primary pleasure". The Village Voices Nick Pinkteron said that the film "deserves credit as a clean, well-turned job, fleet and funny and inconsequential", and appreciated the cast, praising Leoni as the "best thing going", and Murphy's "inspired" contributions. Pinkerton was critical of the script, describing it as "amateur as its crooks: the audience isn't even fully aware of who's in on the job when it kicks off, while other threads are left dangling." Roger Ebert awarded the film 2.5 out of 4, saying "This isn't a great heist movie for a lot of reasons, beginning with the stupidity of its heist plan and the impossibility of these characters ever being successful