String magnate Rudolf Smuntz (William Hickey) dies leaving his ancient factory and run-down mansion to his sons Lars (Lee Evans) and Ernie (Nathan Lane). Ernie loses his trendy restaurant after poisoning the mayor by serving food with a cockroach and reduced to being a fry cook. Lars rejects a large offer for the factory and his wife April (Vicki Lewis) throws him out of the house. The brothers go to the house and discover it to be built by famed architect LaRue. LaRue fanatic Alexander Falko (Maury Chaykin) is eager to buy but Ernie greedily arranges for an auction in a week's time. They are shocked when Falko indicates a value of as much as $10 million. They are hounded by an elusive mouse and Ernie intends not to repeat the cockroach incident. They use various methods including a cat named Catzilla and an exterminator named Caesar (Christopher Walken).
This is simply not that funny. It's a sort of reverse Home Alone. It is following the Wet Bandits without Macaulay. I actually think this movie needs a cute animated mouse whom the audience can root for. It might be funnier from the viewpoint of the mouse. Ernie's motivation doesn't make much sense. It's a lot slapstick and destruction resulting in limited laughs. The movie could go full throttle Three Stooges but it doesn't have that childlike quality. They are too money grubbing for that. There is nothing particularly bad or hateful about this. It's just not that funny.
This is simply not that funny. It's a sort of reverse Home Alone. It is following the Wet Bandits without Macaulay. I actually think this movie needs a cute animated mouse whom the audience can root for. It might be funnier from the viewpoint of the mouse. Ernie's motivation doesn't make much sense. It's a lot slapstick and destruction resulting in limited laughs. The movie could go full throttle Three Stooges but it doesn't have that childlike quality. They are too money grubbing for that. There is nothing particularly bad or hateful about this. It's just not that funny.