american comedy film directed written based story griffin released november united_kingdom united_states release following days later follows employees exclusive apartment building lose scheme wall street businessman group enlist aid criminal slide bankrupt businessman employee apartment building break apartment steal money avoiding fbi agent charge case began development early based idea murphy star black cast group rob script developed changed ocean style murphy left project continued develop idea eventually murphy later rejoining production filming took place entirely new_york_city budget million tax buildings provided represent eponymous tower film score composed released commercially november film received mixed reviews praise going cast including murphy repeatedly singled critics star film critics feeling displayed welcome return comedic style early career criticism received film focused plot considered formulaic rushed dull film earned million theatrical run prior release film involved controversy plans release home viewing video demand customers weeks theatrical debut concern implementation ticket sales inspiring films follow suit resulted theater chains refusal film plan went ahead forcing universal abandon idea plot building manager tower luxury apartment complex new_york_city employees include charlie expecting child sister newly hired elevator operator nearing retirement immigrant maid jamaica miss studying lawyer morning sees wealthy tower resident kidnapped gives chase tackled fbi agent explains attempting flee country avoid arrest billion scheme confesses tower staff gave invest lost attempts suicide visiting hospital charlie confront house arrest apartment windows ferrari displayed apartment charlie fired incident meets bar suggests concealed million reserve steal evicted tower tenant find steal money assumed safe supplement inexperience enlisting childhood friend slide petty criminal experience help open safe charlie later tower new manager warns abandon plan inform police subsequently informs scheduled attend court thanksgiving thanksgiving day parade avoid publicity set free team decide break apartment parade slide attempts team reaching safe having tricked giving lessons team apartment ensuing struggle break false wall revealing safe slide struggle slide gun gun goes bullet hits car revealing gold underneath ferrari paint realize money buy gold turn car parts assembled car hide money plain sight finds illegal finances car glove box use window washing platform lower car apartment apartment lowering lobby elevator reach lobby return revealing thanksgiving court date ruse plan notes missing car safe violating bail declaring fbi arrest crew slide walk outside tower miss arrives telling fbi passed bar exam days ago acting attorney shows tells turn exchange freedom fbi accepts condition primary serve minimal year sentence months sure gets good behavior convicted sentenced prison rest life team car hiding place rooftop pool send parts car tower employees compensate lost led cell satisfied smile slowly forms face cast building manager paid million role slide petty turns help murphy joined cast october producer film paid million work building brother law wanted participate film interested playing comedy role saying sounded like fun film wanted comedy thought opportunity try funny felt perfect role timing wall street placed house arrest stealing billion character said described like character sure don think operated scale don know technically scheme willing steal money people needed couldn afford lose willing yes territory feet initially approached play role fan work film hot rock turned wall street investor bankrupt joined cast october fbi special agent assigned case joined cast october worked fbi technical advisor prepare role character work said agent standard issue ball breaking fbi agent certainly tough lady type character able spend time anne great technical advisor set got gaze terrifying underneath interesting lady technical aspects job provided use elevator operator newest employee building staff cast october jamaican born maid threatened theft perform character jamaican accent dialect coaches help prepare practiced friend jamaican heritage additionally worked actual accurately portray breaking locks cast october plays simon building general manager plays tower retiring henderson cast filmmakers saw performance august wilson fences broadway cast rounded attorney training security guard fbi agent rose attorney fbi director plays charlie pregnant wife sister heavy cameo appearance guard courthouse cameos mistress tower resident cameo judge alternate ending new ending broken scenes alternate scene released prison serving months years originally sentenced slide picks old car installed new gold second alternate scene owns bar slide rest hotel staff compensated gold helping celebrate night away embraced party tells gold ring received initials asks received ring promises tell date originally planned sentencing production development idea began development early murphy pitched concept producer concerning star cast black including tracy_morgan group employees plan rob film originally titled concept script developed course years script rewritten writers including bulk work credit going griffin script gradually moved away ensemble began focus central characters point murphy left project modified script reminded ocean remake project developed unavailable commitment directing rush hour project remained development period years remained committed project having enjoyed films 1970s including taking anderson tapes turning opportunity direct films horrible bosses instead produced claim wanted work murphy partially credited inspiring films script began finalized murphy drawn changed project informed participation murphy offered role slide murphy rejoined cast member producer alongside later october film finally scheduled release given november release date writing feeling original concept close ocean attempted recruit screenwriter perform additional work script time unavailable instead hired griffin writer ocean remake griffin brought real motivation heart concept moving away premise performing ensemble rich type focusing instead group blue collar employees corrupt businessman enjoyed pitch brought gave approval taking script bringing project perform specific character came aboard project performed final griffin screenplay october adding obstacles characters help develop script filmmakers writers spoke resident managers high profile new_york hotels learn experiences interacting research gave griffin idea possessing vehicle apartment eventually decided rare ferrari belonged research said speak people work buildings interviewed building managers underworld new_york building scene exists people unaware possible fascinating filming filming began november taking place entirely new_york_city budget million million tax production designer visited hotels high rise residences research design elements incorporate surroundings tower created amalgamation elements saw research create sophisticated lobby design tower took inspiration floor apartment populated apartment assortment art pieces represent status based specific artists works suggested decided use modern classic reproduction designs artists explaining decision said days wealthy people want wall power want art walls means shows people like car rich smart know allowed production use properties portray luxurious exterior shots tower sections building recreated closed green screen sets film visual effects foot car chase sequence filmed columbus avenue vehicle filming occurred sound stages brooklyn takes place thanksgiving day parade requiring crew film parts actual parade recreate event week later filming ferrari decided purchasing actual model exist cost million expensive vehicle unsuitable filming purposes instead commissioned process took months supervision prop master received additional reinforcement filming purposes special effects crew running camera tests authentic ferrari colors decided paint bright red order create lasting impression instead actual metallic brown muted coloring vehicle murphy performed improvised scene cracking safe test screenings result scenes cut film claiming theatrical version director cut remove scenes felt didn fit match rating filmmakers targeting post production universal decided film new scene ending feature reunion murphy characters murphy refused return paid million salary studio declined pay additional money scene shot music soundtrack composed released november consists tracks minutes release world premiere took place october theatre new_york_city box office earned united_states canada worldwide box office gross united_states canada pre release audience tracking united_states indicated film strong awareness males ages followed older women projected opening million opening weekend aiming expectations slow marketplace rival studios claiming film need million success united_states canada opened theaters film took midnight screenings total million opening friday number grossing film day film expected number film weekend took million opening saturday falling animated film boots million number film weekend million boots million audience age largest segment male opening audience diverse consisting african american hispanic markets released november united_kingdom opened total countries including germany spain hong_kong india november total theaters opening weekend saw film gross million average theater largest earnings coming united_kingdom million theaters number film weekend spain million theaters number film critical reception received mixed positive reviews critics garnering approval rating critics average rating review aggregate website rotten_tomatoes consensus reads tower true joint little brains fun exciting watch showcases welcome return form metacritic provides score critics indicating mixed average reviews polls reported average grade gave film scale daily_telegraph called film enjoyable movie labeling forgettable fun criticized having white characters require aid black character saying little embarrassing conceive black criminal jail cultural sensitivity strong suit hollywood reporter said film cast felt ignored contemporary economic issues core mccarthy said murphy performance return form rude murphy audiences nearly forgotten silly kid comedies heavy makeup recent years said introduction film energy amusement level kick enjoyment actual break murphy logistics far new_york called comedy praised performances saying best comedy best scene fbi agent drunk sloppy blunt makes wish called tower formulaic plotted action comedy best asset strong ensemble levy said makes picture work plot overly familiar utterly socio psychological dynamics prevail characters levy singled cast having picture best lines gave individual praise murphy saying dominates second half picture rendering performance recalls witty charming roles 1980s empire awarded film stars calling fun uneven stuff fairly dull opening act said welcome return form critical praised saying offensive turns primary pleasure village_voice said film deserves credit clean turned job fleet funny appreciated cast praising best thing going murphy inspired contributions critical script describing amateur audience isn fully aware job kicks threads left roger_ebert awarded film saying isn great movie lot reasons beginning plan characters successful complex standing line appreciated comedy heavy letter words calling funny innocent kind way entertainment_weekly called film eye catching essentially praised murphy saying murphy screen comedic movie energy level murphy movie pulse rate drops effect movies belongs murphy rest cast time london said hard excited home limitations equally hard dislike criticized finale bit tense able remotely seriously conversely time new_york gave stars saying nail biting moment missed murphy won feeling like ripped new_yorker criticized plot saying toss find starting roughly plots blender appears method lane called characters people offered praise saying character lane lamented notion theft thieves screw wealth right passes variety critical saying film goes way bank lackluster pacing shortage qualities typically earn stars laughs felt opening minutes dull blue collar drama populated entirely stereotypes film picks needed momentum actual resolution feels rushed echoed praise murphy calling performance welcome return comic 80s era persona limited screen time video demand boycott october announced available home viewing parent company video demand system weeks theatrical debut rental cost announced test case conducted atlanta portland met criticism cinema chains concern test future implementation impact ticket sales following day theatres largest cinema chain united_states threatened film universal proceeded test october independent theater chains including galaxy theatres regency theatres small cinema houses representing approximately screens country threatened play following day chains joined screen theater chain response released statement saying longer pursue proposed test accolades received nominations outstanding motion picture outstanding actor motion picture murphy home media released dvd united_states february dvd blu ray disc versions contain alternate endings film deleted alternate scenes gag reel mistakes filming commentary film griffin editor scenes film details development process film blu ray edition additionally contains film videos filmmaking process led musical tracks film
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