videorama-759-859391 One wonders how Whoopi Goldberg, ever became a movie star, but then we're remembered about how good she was in The Color Purple. Burglar is interesting I guess in a strange or enigmatic sense, but one thing it isn't: funny, not even remotely. I can't even believe this was based on the Lawrence Block novels. The movie almost makes you forget you're watching a comedy. It takes itself too seriously for one thing, where they should of really concentrated on one genre. The film too, throws in a couple of added touches, as if to compensate for what laughs there are, in this dry comedy, and slightly dry film. Examples here, is not a badly shot car chase, down those dangerously steep S.F. streets, with too many close ups of cars, flying over ascents. It's hammy. It also, purposely throws in one still slanted street CU shot, you never see coming, featuring cops, Goodman and DeSalvo. You feel like you with them on that incline, a kind of cool shot but really a stupid one. I've never seen a movie do that before, but like I said, you feel this is compensating for it being a misfire, where we feel, too much is poured into this. The film actually starts off with promise in one nifty driven house robbery you could say, that nearly see our Granny disguised Whoopi, busted. The plot has crafty cat burglar/book shop owner Goldberg, set up and framed while knocking over a young stud's place, trying to retrieve some jewellery for an ex lover of the deceased. What I really liked in this movie, though was the surprisingly good performances from the supporting cast, especially G.W. Bailey, while Goodman again make you stand take notice of how good an actor he is, or was too, before I first saw him in Sea Of Love. Vyto Ruginis, was fun too, as a slick haired, bad dude thief, again acting in a film inspired by a Lawrence Block novel (he also acted in '86's', 8 Million Ways To Die, prefore). Bobcat Goldwaith is again annoying, yet likable, as Whoopi's friendless neighbor, save for Whoopi, where an interrogation scene got me more antagonized, than it did Goodman. As for Whoopi's performance, it's hard to tell if it's good or not with these 80's comedies. I felt I was just going through the motions with her. She wasn't really engaging, but she did have her moments. Small ones. Out of interest, or a Whoopi fan, Burglar is worth a view. It's not a bad film at all, but it was intended as a comedy, and on that note, it fails terribly.

macbug I believe most of the people who claim they did not like this movie, were over thinking it. This is a funny, well done movie. It mixes a lot of great work, especially from "Bobcat", my favorite is his delivery in the Mayday bar, this movie is so 80's. Maybe it rubs some wrong, but if you were an adult in the late 1980's, this movie would be a real treat. Unfortunately many of the jokes are for Americans and our culture; I can understand it not working for other English speakers, such as Canadians, etc. A lot of slang, and *#@! ^& etc. I almost forgot the most offensive part of the movie for those politically correct tobacco Nazis. Almost everyone including Whoopi is shown smoking, and smoking and enjoying it!!! That's right kids it was a widely practiced social interaction between people especially the opposite sex. Just look at it as a time travel back to the 1980's, sex, drugs and rock and road were still alive and well, big hair, and all the rest. You either love it or hate it.

ReelCheese The IMDb votes for BURGLAR are all over the place. Substantial segments of users graded it 6/10, 5/10, 4/10 and 3/10. A notable percentage also voted 7/10 and 1/10. Such divisions only reinforce what is obvious to anyone who's seen this Whoopi Goldberg vehicle -- it's an extremely uneven effort.One of BURGLAR's biggest strengths is that it hits the ground running. Whoopi is great in the opening scenes, disguised as a fat-bottomed ol' lady ripping off a small piece of a rich man's riches. This sets the stage nicely for what promises to be a fast-paced blend of comedy, action, and snappy dialog. The film continues at a surprisingly entertaining level as our thieving hero, owing 25 G's to keep the lid on past misdeeds, agrees to snatch back some jewelry for a bitter ex-wife. Only things go terribly wrong when her target is murdered before she can make a clean getaway. Now she's the chief suspect and, just as O.J. once famously pledged, must find the real killer.Unfortunately, it's at this point, when our expectations are highest, that BURGLAR begins to fall apart. The film grows progressively (and unnecessarily) lewd and at times downright dreary (particularly the out-of-place climax). Though there are a couple of laughs, much of the humor is so painfully unfunny you almost cringe. Performance wise, Whoopi is at the top of her game. But hard ass/cutie pie act -- punching men in the groin one minute and making wisecracks the next --never really works. Spastic comic Bobcat Goldthwait is as zany as ever as her best pal, but no one seemed to realize that his is an act meant to be taken in much smaller doses than this.BURGLAR would have worked much better as a straight action thriller. Its insistence on trying to be humorous is what hurts it the most. Of course under no circumstances would this be a classic. But at the end of it all, you get the sense BURGLAR could have been more than it was.

Aaron Martin- Colby I'm surprised the reviews for this movie are so negative. I found it to be very funny. Bob Goldthwait plays, well, himself in two scenes that literally had me on the floor.It may not be a masterpiece, but the characters are all played well and the storyline is serviceable. Goldberg carries the movie well enough and has good support from everyone else, but really, Goldthwait steals the movie with his scenes.There is a chase scene that's rather underwhelming, but after the chase scenes in the Matrix Reloaded and Terminator 3, almost everything is. Aside from that, the directing is solid.I enjoyed this movie and continue to enjoy with successive watchings. Keep an eye out in discount bins and you can score this movie for four bucks. I think it's worth it.