The Producers

I found the direction lazy and uninspired. There were too many closeup that just didn't work for the material. I wanted to see both actors in the shot for many scenes, but it was cut to Leo, cut to Max, etc., which just didn't click with me. It would have been better to go wider for many of the scenes.

Broderick was just scary in the 1st act in setting up Leo's neuroses, though Lane was better at setting up Max's character, and that led to the film getting off on a rocky start, but it got rolling well, with Will Ferrell providing some laughs as the scriptwriter for the play that seemed to guarentee a first night closing for Leo and Max production of "Springtime for Hitler". Uma was okay, nothing all that spectacular (well, she looked great, but her singing was so-so), Gary Beach and Roger Bart were the saving grace of the film for me as they cracked me up throughout all their scenes.

The film never quite transcends the play, and for that it just plows on until the end where it kind of limps to the finish line.

I give it 2 stars, or a grade of C.