4.7
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Bringing Down the House (2003)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Center
Viewer Rating
Rating: 4.7
Overview
Uptight lawyer Peter Sanderson wants to dive back into dating after his divorce and has a hard time meeting the right women. He tries online dating and lucks out when he starts chatting with a fellow lawyer. The two agree to meet in the flesh, but the woman he meets — an escaped African-American convict named Charlene — is not what he expected. Peter is freaked out, but Charlene tries to convince him to take her case and prove her innocence. Along the way, she wreaks havoc on his middle-class life as he gets a lesson in learning to lighten up.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Bias Dimensions
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Neutral
Christianity: Positive
Overview
Uptight lawyer Peter Sanderson wants to dive back into dating after his divorce and has a hard time meeting the right women. He tries online dating and lucks out when he starts chatting with a fellow lawyer. The two agree to meet in the flesh, but the woman he meets — an escaped African-American convict named Charlene — is not what he expected. Peter is freaked out, but Charlene tries to convince him to take her case and prove her innocence. Along the way, she wreaks havoc on his middle-class life as he gets a lesson in learning to lighten up.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Center
Primary
The film primarily functions as a culture-clash comedy focused on individual growth and mutual understanding, rather than a deep ideological critique or promotion of specific political values, leading to a neutral rating.
The film features visible diversity through its co-lead casting, introducing a prominent Black female character who challenges the protagonist's traditional world. While it subtly addresses themes of prejudice and cultural differences, the narrative does not explicitly critique traditional identities or center DEI as a strong, explicit theme, focusing more on personal growth and comedic contrast.
Secondary
The film includes Ashley, a gay male character, as a supportive friend. His sexuality is present but incidental, neither central to the plot nor a source of mockery or affirmation. The portrayal avoids strong positive or negative arcs, making its net impact neutral.
The film satirizes the hypocrisy and prejudice of characters who outwardly align with conservative, implicitly Christian values, such as Mrs. Arness. The narrative clearly condemns their bigotry and judgmental attitudes, positioning the audience to sympathize with those targeted by such prejudice, rather than critiquing the faith itself.
Bringing Down the House is a romantic comedy that does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The film's narrative focuses on the relationship between a lawyer and an escaped convict, with no elements related to transgender identity or experiences present in the plot or character arcs.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Bringing Down the House is an original film with characters created specifically for this movie. There is no prior source material, historical basis, or previous installment from which any character's gender could have been established and subsequently changed.
Bringing Down the House (2003) is an original film with no prior source material, historical figures, or previous installments. Therefore, no characters were established as a specific race before this production, and no race swaps occurred.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
5.6
6.0
Critic Ratings
3.3
3.9
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