The Producers (2005)

All Critics (156) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (78) | Rotten (75) | DVD (16)

This is extraneous for anyone who's seen the original film or show, presumably leaving everyone else to wonder what all the fuss has been about.

February 9, 2006 Full Review

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

Top Critic

Not so much a film as an awkwardly framed souvenir of the Broadway hit musical, The Producers needs a live audience like a candle needs oxygen.

December 31, 2005 Full Review

Ty Burr

Boston Globe

Top Critic

... an unabashedly old-fashioned musical filled with song, dance, and shtick so shticky you could hang wallpaper with it.

December 27, 2005 Full Review

Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

Top Critic

The jokes are in its tackiness, and gauchery, and raspberry-inducing send-up of Broadway traditions. On that level, the movie works fine -- and is a whole lot cheaper for the ticket buyer.

December 27, 2005

Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

Top Critic

Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Gary Beach have their singing, dancing and kvetching in the Broadway smash The Producers immortalized on film.

December 27, 2005 Full Review

Roger Moore

Orlando Sentinel

Top Critic

There's a song in the stage musical version of 'The Producers' that, if you flipped the title to pose the opposite question, could summarize the letdown diehard fans will feel if they catch the new movie of Mel Brooks' gloriously retro Broadway smash.

December 27, 2005 Full Review

Christine Dolen

Miami Herald

Top Critic

Long, too-faithful film of Mel Brooks' stage musical.

July 24, 2008 Full Review

Cynthia Fuchs

Common Sense Media

The original was far funnier and somehow managed to cut to the chase with less of a song and dance.

August 2, 2007 Full Review | Comments (4)

Anton Bitel

Eye for Film

Be prepared to laugh from the opening credits through the closing credits.

May 25, 2007 Full Review

Kam Williams

Upstage Magazine

The play is everything in this uneven movie, which is alternately groan-inducing and side-splitting.

February 22, 2007 Full Review

Kevin Lally

Film Journal International

Confirmed my original opinion that the musical version of The Producers was a flash-in-the-pan success that won't be remembered ten years from now.

December 30, 2006 Full Review

Ethan Alter

NYC Film Critic

Director Stroman (who also choreographed the film) has also paid tribute to the theatre by casting such stage stars as Brent Barrett, Debra Monk, Karen Ziemba and Andrea Martin.

December 13, 2006 Full Review

Michael A. Smith

Nolan's Pop Culture Review

The real reason to see this film is the addition of the musical numbers -- catchy and clever songs, written in the style of classic 1950s Broadway musicals.

September 27, 2006

Russ Breimeier

Christianity Today

It's entertaining, but not as charming or rousing as its musical muse, Singin' in the Rain, nor does it completely capture the spontaneous humor of the Brooks' original.

May 16, 2006

James Plath

Reel.com

Stage director Susan Stroman brings it all in, including the high spirits and naughty fun, though a few more dancers in some of the musical numbers might have filled the screen better.

May 12, 2006 Full Review

Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

Shows such affinity for the stage that it barely qualifies as a movie.

May 4, 2006 Full Review

Matt Pais

Metromix.com

Is it better than the stage version? Not necessarily. But this is a faithful rendition that should succeed in bringing a delightful old-fashioned crowd-pleaser to a new audience.

February 21, 2006 Full Review

Todd Jorgenson

Denton Record Chronicle (TX)

Arguably the funniest movie of the year.

January 24, 2006 Full Review

Bruce Bennett

Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

It's a broad, slightly naughty comedy in musical form from the skewed, if not a little twisted, comic genius Mel Brooks.

January 19, 2006

Larry Ratliff

San Antonio Express-News

Barely adequate.

January 17, 2006 Full Review

Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

• 1. Mr. Marks: Bloom, where do you think you're going? You've already had your toilet break.
  2. Leopold Bloom: I'm not going into the toilet. I'm going into show business! And Mr. Marks, I have news for you: I quit! And you're right about one thing. You are a CPA: a Certified Public ASSHOLE! Here's my visor, my Dixon Ticonderoga number 2 pencil, and my big finish!
  – Submitted by David R (7 months ago)
• 1. Leopold Bloom: Thank you very much for smiling. That helped a great deal.
  2. Max Bialystock: Well, you know what they say. Smile and the whole world smiles with you. Ha ha ha [whispers to Shakespeare bust] This man belongs in a strait jacket!
  – Submitted by Andrew D (10 months ago)
• 1. Max Bialystock: What happened?
  2. Ulla: Tidy up! Make look nice?
  – Submitted by Ben J (11 months ago)
• 1. Hold Me-Touch Me: ...How about the virgin milkmaid, and the well hung stableboy?
  2. Max Bialystock: Oh... ohohoho. Today?
  3. Hold Me-Touch Me: Don"t worry, I'll be gentle! Oh, this milk is so heavy! I don't think I'll ever make it to the house. You there, well hung stableboy! Would you care to help me with my milk?
  4. Max Bialystock: But of course, little lady. First I'll take your milk... and then, I'll take, your virginity!
  – Submitted by Ben J (11 months ago)
• 1. Carmen Ghia: Listen here you old queen! He was drunk... you got lucky! Never call here again!
  2. Roger De Bris: Who was it?
  3. Carmen Ghia: Wrong number!
  – Submitted by Ben J (11 months ago)
• 1. Max Bialystock: There's a lot more to you than there is to you!
  – Submitted by Ben J (11 months ago)

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