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BRING
DOWN THE HOUSE
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
This
page was created on March 9, 2003
This page was last updated on
May 30, 2005
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ABOUT
THIS FILM
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 "I'm
fascinated by stories where an outsider comes into a world that seems
to be on course and shakes everybody up," says David Hoberman, producer
of Touchstone Pictures' new comedy, "Bringing Down the House." "In
this type of film, everybody ends up growing, but not without a lot
of pain, suffering and comedy in the middle." After previously seeing
such similar outrageous comedies as "Ruthless People," "The Ref,"
and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" to the screen, Hoberman saw similar
promise for this film. And he had the perfect foil, the perfect buttoned-up
casualty, in Steve Martin, who he'd previously worked with on the
comedy hit "Father of the Bride."
"I think Steve was eager to get back to doing a mainstream comedy,
and we were thrilled to have him," says Hoberman. "Steve is so wonderful
when he plays characters who are put upon, and where he can be silly,
'wild and crazy.'And he'd get to do all that in this film."
Martin agrees. "This was a broad physical comedy, and I hadn't done
a film like that in a while. And it was outrageous - the script reminded
me of something from the 1980s - sort of raunchy and freewheeling.
I was excited about it."
"What I particularly connected with in our story is the idea that
we are sometimes given gifts by the unlikeliest of people in the unlikeliest
of forms," says Ashok Amritraj, producer of the film. "In this case,
Queen Latifah gives Steve's character the permission to be, publicly,
that person that he rarely lets the world see. The bottom line is
that they are just magical together."
Martin found his character irresistible. "Peter Sanderson is a guy
who has a very conservative lifestyle, and he's working too hard.
That's driven his wife away, but he's still in love with her. So when
Charlene enters his life, she turns it upside down, and ends up making
him more attractive to his ex."
Martin also was attracted by the possibility of performing in a riotous,
over-the-top comedy after writing more cerebral comic fare, including
his play, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," and his novella, "Shopgirl."
"It's just the nature of the media that when I write, it's more cerebral,
but when I act in a movie, it's more physical," he says.
Martin, who is not a computer addict or chat room participant by any
means ("I stick to e-mail," he says), related to Peter on a basic
level. "He's a straight guy and I'm basically a straight guy. It's
great, because the straighter the guy, the funnier the scenes can
become. Pure comedy is about contradictory people meeting each other,"
he relates.
Martin, who plays a dad to two kids in "Bringing Down the House,"
has come to enjoy playing dads, as he's done so brilliantly in two
"Father of the Bride" films and "Parenthood." "I like the underlying
sense of warmth of a dad with his kids that goes through these movies.
And it's also a good source for humor because 'the dad' is always
supposed to be steadfast and strong and not make mistakes. So a lot
of comedy comes out of that too."
Queen Latifah joined the cast as the unstoppable force that enters
Peter's life. Hoberman was a fan of the multi-talented star. "I always
thought she was really gifted; she could sing, she was funny, and
I loved her in 'Living Out Loud.'"
Queen Latifah, who is also an executive producer of the film, brought
a different point of view to the script. "There are a lot of controversial
jokes in the film, and we'd go back and forth figuring out what was
offensive, what was funny, and what was offensive but funny enough
to get over-the-top," says Queen Latifah. The actress describes her
character, Charlene, as "ghetto fabulous and smart; she's just made
some bad choices." She enters Peter's life like a pit bull without
a leash.
Now that the two stars were on board, the production took on the important
task of finding the perfect director for the material. Adam Shankman
was everyone's choice.
"I think Adam brought it all together," says producer Ashok Amritraj.
"We knew his rapport with the actors would bring out their best."
Steve Martin felt he was in good hands with Shankman. "I saw 'The
Wedding Planner' and thought it was fabulous. I could tell that Adam
had a good, sharp comic sense," he says.
Shankman was elated about the project. "It's a big, broad, urban comedy
with an edge, which is something a little different for me," says
Shankman. "And the chance to work with Queen Latifah and Steve Martin,
who's been my idol for years, was just a surreal opportunity," he
enthuses.
Shankman was also interested in the heart of the story. "The dangers
of online dating is our opening warning wink," he says. But the bond
that forms between the mismatched pair is the eye-opener, to the director.
"Peter and Charlene come from different worlds. And therefore, they
behave in a certain way because of where they're from not who they
are," he says. "So if you peel their outer shells away, they can relate
to and teach each other a few important things about family and self
respect."
One thing Shankman didn't have to do was teach either actor about
comedy. "I wanted to make a real traditional Steve Martin movie, like
'All of Me' and 'Father of the Bride,'" says Shankman. "And I told
Steve that I wanted him to do the really Steve Martin-y things in
this film. It's all very intangible, but he's charismatic without
trying. And his comic style is the blueprint for my generation's physical,
high-energy humor. No one does it like Steve. Also, I think you'll
see him at his suburban best in this film."
Shankman was "blown away with Queen Latifah's comedy chops," he says.
"She's fearless and doesn't mind playing the fool; she allows herself
to look pretty crazy in the film. And she completely keeps up with
Steve. In fact, she seems much more seasoned than her comic resume
belies."
CASTING
The filmmakers of "Bringing Down the House" assembled an extraordinary
ensemble of supporting actors to convey the story beginning with Eugene
Levy as Peter's eccentric law firm colleague, Howie. Levy, who has
in recent years become an audience favorite after his performances
in such films as "American Pie," was delighted to play Howie. Unlike
his best buddy Peter, Howie has an immediate animal attraction for
Charlene. "Howie likes gals who are a little unorthodox and like to
have fun, and Charlene fit that description," Levy says.
Levy was also excited about working with Steve Martin again. "We'd
worked together briefly on 'Father of the Bride II,' but 'Bringing
Down the House' was great because we got a chance to play with the
scenes and kick around some ideas," enthuses Levy.
"Eugene and Steve would often discuss different lines and the mechanics
of a scene before we shot it," notes Shankman.
Queen Latifah became a sort of Henry Higgins-inreverse to her co-stars.
"She taught us the street language," says Levy, "like, 'You got me
straight trippin', Boo' - which I still don't have a clue about what
it means."
At first, Steve Martin may also have not understood the translation
of English into the street lingo that Queen Latifah was teaching him
or what he was actually saying in the film sometimes. "But like me,
my character, Peter, was also just copying what he'd heard somewhere.
However, I got interested in finding out, for my own information,
what it meant. And when it was explained to me, I thought, 'Oh yeah,
that makes a lot of sense.' It was a kind of cool slang," says Martin.
Queen Latifah was happy being the student to these two comic veterans.
"These guys are flawless. They're the best. I'm the young one around
here; I'm the junior. I'm learning so much from them.
"I was also impressed with Steve's versatility; doing a scene differently
with each take," she relates. Interestingly, Martin credits actress
Diane Keaton, his co-star in the two "Father of the Bride" hits, as
his inspiration. "Diane was the best person I ever saw make a scene
fresh and new with each take. And remembering that, I think I was
a little more spontaneous on this film," he says.
Joan Plowright was cast as Mrs. Arness, the wealthy dowager client
that Peter is trying to land. Plowright liked the diversity of her
character. "She's a 70-year-old, rigidly conservative battle axe who
becomes a little more carefree by the end of the film," describes
Plowright.
The veteran actress gave high marks to her director, Shankman. "Adam
creates a very relaxed atmosphere on the set. He likes a lot of input,
and allows you to have a go at an idea even if it turns out to be
rubbish. But he's also very careful to pull you back if it isn't what
he has in mind," she says. The stunning Missi Pyle plays Ashley, Peter's
ex-sister-in-law. "Ashley is materialistic, self-centered and smart.
Actually she's a geriatric gold digger," Pyle confesses. "But I also
think she's a little misunderstood. She's going after these rich old
men to protect herself... when her beauty fades, she might need some
insurance."
Shankman was very impressed with the actress on their first meeting.
"Missi walked into the room and it was like 'Twister'; everything
blew up. She's got such a presence, a lot of vavoom, and her comic
timing is superb," he says.
Seasoned actress Betty White's comic timing wasn't lost on Shankman
either. In fact, he was so excited when she came in to meet with him
for the role of Mrs. Klein, Peter's racist next-door neighbor, that
the director literally knelt at her feet. "I said, 'Oh, Miss White,
it would make me the happiest man on the planet if you'd act in our
film.' I just knew she would be great as this smiling, cookie-baking
bigot," he relates. Steve Martin had similar adulation for White.
"Betty has always been an idol for me because as a child, I used to
watch her on 'The Betty White Show.' And then when I was about 20,
when I was doing my act at the Troubadour nightclub in L.A., she and
her husband Allen Ludden stopped me after the show and said 'Hey,
we think you're funny.'And I thought, 'Wow, Betty White thinks I'm
funny.' And now that I'm working with her, it's such a thrill; she's
just as happy and bawdy and present as anyone you could wish for,"
he says.
White describes her character, Mrs. Klein, as "prissy and frank. She
borders on rude really. And it never crosses her mind to think that
what she's saying might offend anyone," she says. White also relates
Mrs. Klein to a television icon. "My character is over the top in
'Bringing Down the House,' but it's done with fun, and the audience
will take it that way. After all, Archie Bunker from 'All in the Family'was
outrageous but we all had a good time with him."
Versatile actress Jean Smart was cast as Peter's long-suffering ex-wife,
Kate. She was impressed by the chance to work with her co-stars. "Steve
and I had met socially but never worked together before and I was
thrilled. He was so kind to me and kept me laughing constantly! He's
also extremely intelligent. Queen Latifah really impressed me; she's
a terrific actress and gorgeous, too!"
"For Kate, it's a case of 'can't live with him, can't live without
him,'" Smart says about her character. "So when she sees him start
to loosen up, under Charlene's influence, she sees the reason she
fell in love in the first place."
Smart also praises her director. "Adam's great. He always knows exactly
what the scene needs and he's great at expressing it to you, and at
the same time, he gives you the room to improvise. He is so much fun;
we worked together once before so I was really looking forward to
working with him again."
Other key roles in "Bringing Down the House" were filled by Kimberly
J. Brown and Angus T. Jones as Peter's kids, Michael Rosenbaum as
Peter's office thorn in his foot, and Steve Harris as Charlene's ex-boyfriend.
As Shankman notes, "We have a collection of wonderful actors that
make each and every character ring true."
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
"Bringing Down the House" got underway on a beautiful tree-lined street
in Pasadena, California where Charlene invades Peter's perfectly ordered
house. The production then shifted to downtown L.A. for a South Central
hip-hop nightclub scene where Peter insinuates himself into Charlene's
world. These early sequences set the comedic tone for the duration
of filming.
Julio Macat's cinematography was a key element in defining the film's
overall visual style. "A lot of humor in the film grows out of the
juxtaposition of Charlene's inner city environment and Peter's warmer,
suburban milieu," says Macat. "In order for it to work, both worlds
must look real."
Also, Macat, who is no stranger to comedies (he was the cinematographer
on Shankman's first feature "The Wedding Planner"), thinks they should
be photographed differently. "I light comedies fuller and richer to
be able to capture the reactions of the characters. Reactions are
the heart of the humor," he notes.
Production Designer Linda DeScenna proceeded in a similar fashion.
From the urbanity of Charlene's sphere, to Peter's downtown corporate
office, to his stylish, pristine home interior built on a Disney sound
stage, "Every set reflected its purpose," she says. Completing the
overall look, Costume designer, Pam Withers, who also worked with
Shankman on "The Wedding Planner," collaborated with him and Queen
Latifah on her unique wardrobe for "Bringing Down the House." "I wanted
it loud and ghetto," states Shankman.
"We went over a lot of photos and tear sheets before we began production,"
says Queen Latifah. "And I'm not a little girl, you know. I'm a big,
sexy woman, so you have to dress me appropriately. Also, Charlene
has a specific urban hip-hop style. So we wanted to capitalize on
that."
Withers concurs. "We tied up, cut up, and jazzed up her wardrobe with
rhinestones, because Charlene has her own fashion flair but few resources.
So she uses kitchen scissors or shoelaces to add some spice to her
own ordinary clothing."
For the point in the film when Charlene - fed up with Ashley's racial
slurs - engages her counterpart in a knock-down, drag-out catfight,
Shankman enlisted the expertise of stunt coordinator John Medlen for
the scene. The two talents had worked together on TV's "Buffy the
Vampire Slayer," so they had a built-in shorthand regarding the scene's
choreography, which took three days of rehearsals and two days of
shooting for the two minutes of screen time.
"Adam wanted the comedy and action to be based on their two different
worlds; Charlene's street-fighting 'I'm gonna get you' moves versus
Ashley's stylized, Tae-Bo technique," says Medlen.
Pyle, who is belted in Tae Kwon Do, was thrilled to have the chance
to show her stuff. "Ashley thinks she can take on Charlene because
she's gone to Tae Bo exercise classes 'two hours a day, five days
a week,'" Pyle quips. Her real martial arts background helped her
to "go the distance" during the two days of filming the fight.
Shankman brought in his dance colleagues Anne Fletcher and Chris Judd
to choreograph the hip hop and dinner club scenes with Steve Martin
and Queen Latifah and dozens of dancers/extras. "The idea of the scene
was that Peter doesn't know this music or how to dance to it, so I
showed him a few basic moves, and let him go wild," says Fletcher.
"I flipped myself around and had fun doing it," says Martin.
For the dinner club scene, Martin had to be a little more contained,
yet still uncoordinated. "I'm not a dancer; I'm Mr. Clunky even when
coached," says Martin. "And Queen Latifah naturally moves really well.
So we weren't exactly Astaire and Rogers; we were more like Soupy
Sales and Rogers. But that's the way the scene was supposed to be
anyway."
Queen Latifah is not only adept on the dance floor, but also a Grammy
Award-winning rap artist. She and her partner Shakim Compere will
be executive producing the soundtrack for the film. "Before we started
production, Adam (who has a great musical ear) and I knew we wanted
music to be a real big element in this film, to give it the right
momentum," says Queen Latifah. "There are night club and backyard
party scenes which cry out for great hip hop songs."
Shankman concurs: "The overall feeling of the film is still a traditional
Steve Martin comedy, so the score will have emotion and comic beats.
But everything is going to have hip hop rhythms underneath it. To
that end, Queen Latifah has a song in the film, featuring Mario Winans,
called 'Do Your Thing.' Also, Queen has recorded a bonus single for
the soundtrack called 'Better Than the Rest.' In addition, there are
some brilliant R&B songs, ranging from Barry White's 'I'm Gonna Love
You Just a Little More, Babe,' to Kelly Price's cover of 'Ain't Nobody,'
which was a hit for Chaka Khan."
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