Great film... probably more sophisticated than some viewers would like.

Perhaps the Coens felt they had to make their version different, to not just repeat the Mackendrick film's story and feel. So they made a farce instead of the deadpan comedy of the original, which is all right. But many changes are clearly for the worse. Why, for instance, the introductory scenes to show us that these crooks are incompetent? In the original we first see these sinister characters as they arrive to the landlady's house one (or two) at a time, and these scenes are marvelous. The original Ladykillers actually has more of the Coen brothers spirit than their own version has. Some new ideas, however, are inspired, such as the scene with Tom Hanks under the bed. But on the whole I'd say this is the least sophisticated of the Coens' body of work so far.

Loved it in the first go. Haven't changed my mind after several viewings. Nothing mainstream about it except for casting a casting a mainstream lead who came up with anything but a mainstream performance.