Blank Check with Griffin & David

Episode: The Ladykillers with Connor Ratliff

Release Date: September 21, 2025

Guest: Connor Ratliff

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Coen brothers’ 2004 film The Ladykillers, with hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims joined by comedian and podcaster Connor Ratliff. They dissect the film's failings and unique charms, its place as the low point of the Coen canon, Tom Hanks’ “Weird Hanks” era, the uncomfortable racial politics, and the peculiar afterlife of underwhelming films. The conversation weaves personal anecdotes, film history, thoughtful criticism, and hilarious asides, embodying the Blank Check blend of cinephile rigor and comedy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reputation and Reception of "The Ladykillers"

• The film is viewed by the hosts as the Coens’ worst, but not a disaster:
  • “I like this movie. I think it’s the worst Coen Brothers movie inarguably.” (Griffin, 92:31)
  • Despite some good craft, it’s “deeply flawed, but... pretty good standing” for a “worst” film by this director. (Ben, 173:06)
• Notably, its commercial and critical failure broke Tom Hanks’s famed box office streak. (08:56)
• Mooseporting: The concept of returning to an ignored or maligned movie long after its release, finding value in hindsight (See: extensive post-show discussion, 163:10+).

2. Problematic Racial Dynamics and Marlon Wayans' Role

• The panel is uncomfortable with how the Coens wrote and directed Marlon Wayans’ character, Gawain:
  • “There is stuff in it... pretty racist.” (Ben, 02:39)
  • Discussion of improvised vs. scripted black caricature, slurs, and how these choices haven’t aged well.
  • “This reads big time as hyperliterate, incredibly strong dialogue writers being like, ‘How do those young black people talk?’” (Ben, 04:32)
  • The group agrees these are big obstacles in reclaiming or defending the film today.

3. Tom Hanks: From Box Office Titan to “Weird Hanks”

• Dissection of Hanks’s evolving career:
  • The end of his decade-long run of $100 million hits (15:14–16:55).
  • Hanks’s embrace of odder, riskier roles in the 2000s: “Weird Hanks” starts here, peaks in Cloud Atlas and comes full circle with characters like David S. Pumpkins.
  • “His performance in Ladykillers is part of this little corner of Tom Hanks’s filmography that I think of as Weird Hanks. And it might be the first.” (Griffin, 28:15)
• Debate over whether Hanks was ever burdened by his “America’s Dad” reputation, or just enjoyed being Tom Hanks.

Notable Quote

• “It feels like what Hanks is doing in The Ladykillers is sort of the first time he’s getting weird on screen, and from here, he is more interested in taking risks.” (David, 28:29)

4. The Origins, Production, and Failed Alchemy

• Detailed breakdown of the film’s IP—Ealing Studios’ 1955 original, a revered British dark comedy (51:37–55:25).
• The project’s journey:
  • Originally a Barry Sonnenfeld/Nicolas Cage vehicle, taken over by the Coens as a for-hire gig (58:33–59:38).
  • Coens wrote with a sense of “fun in desecrating” a classic (59:38).
  • Casting: Hanks their top choice; Irma P. Hall’s performance lauded, even winning a special prize at Cannes (67:02).
  • Guest Connor: “It’s kind of a pivot point for all involved—everyone meets in a pit, then climbs out to greatness.” (168:21)

5. Comparing Originals: Why the Remake Falters

• The Ladykillers 2004 follows the original’s structure but makes distinct choices (91:03–95:27).
  • The hosts agree the original’s heist is also dull, but the 2004 update lacks energy, pacing, and charm—the “Coen touch” misfires.
• “This movie feels like if the Coen brothers had directed a Happy Madison movie in this era... to a lot of people that sounds like a nightmare.” (Ben, 61:38)
• Its attempts at “stupid Ocean’s Eleven” don’t work for most viewers.

6. Points of Enjoyment & Fandom Defense

• Ben is most sympathetic, finding “something to chuckle at every minute” and admiring the dialogue acrobatics in Hanks’s monologues (122:01).
  • “I think it’s a six. I think it’s an ultimate gentleman six.” (Ben, 127:28)
• The value of deep cuts and flawed films in a beloved filmmaker’s canon.
• Hanks and Irma P. Hall’s scenes together are “locked in and enjoyable” even when the movie stumbles. (112:57)

7. Recurring Thematic and Comedic Tangents

• Mooseporting: The phenomenon of revisiting flop movies after decades, with a softer and more forgiving context (163:10–170:08).
• SNL deep dives, David S. Pumpkins, and the odd afterlives of failed sketches and movies relate to the Ladykillers’ “so weird it’s interesting” status.
• Extended bits: The search for Ladykillers promotional waffle irons, Steven Root anecdotes and song parodies, fears of Bob Jones University lawsuits, and much more.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the Film’s Opening Reception

  • “We are looking at what has to be the single biggest bounce of their career… it is the only movie of theirs that really has no reclamation project.”
    – Ben (08:09)

• On Racial Uncomfortableness

  • “My first two comments were that's not as bad as everyone's saying. Sure. Followed immediately by pretty racist.”
    – Ben (02:49)

• On Hanks Entering the ‘Weird Hanks’ Era

  • “His performance in Ladykillers is part of this little corner of Tom Hanks his filmography that I think of as Weird Hanks. And it might be the first.”
    – Griffin (28:15)

• Comparing Originals

  • “If this movie hadn't been released… and we saw it now, we'd be so excited by all the things that work in it.”
    – Connor (93:35)

• On Revisiting Flops—‘Mooseporting’

  • “Mooseporting [is] just the term for filling in a gap in someone's filmography after they die.”
    – Connor (163:10)

• Summing Up Their Critical Position

  • "I think it's a six. I think it's an ultimate gentleman six."
    – Ben (127:28)
  • “I like this movie. I think it’s the worst Coen Brothers movie inarguably.”
    – Griffin (92:31)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 – 12:00: Opening jokes, waffle/pancake marketing, first impressions, uncomfortable racial content discussion
• 15:00 – 24:00: Tom Hanks’ box office streak, the ‘Weird Hanks’ transition, Dead Eyes backstory
• 31:00 – 38:00: David S. Pumpkins, SNL tangent, the elasticity of the Hanks persona
• 50:00 – 70:00: Ealing comedy context, remake origins, production history, Hanks & Hall casting
• 77:00 – 92:00: Irma P. Hall’s story, critical reevaluation, heist plot details
• 92:00 – 127:00: Film’s pacing, Coen brothers’ tone, debate over comedy value, “Mooseporting” concept
• 147:00 – 174:00: Box office top 10, closing debate, final thoughts on legacy, “mooseporting” extended riff

Conclusion & Takeaways

• The Ladykillers stands as a fascinating misfire: a Coen brothers studio comedy that’s too broad, too mean, and tonally deadened by ugly racial politics, but still boasts flashes of cleverness, production craft, and strong performances—especially by Irma P. Hall and a game, risk-taking Tom Hanks.
• The episode is equally about film history and “film afterlife”—how movies change as their context shifts, whether through “mooseporting” or the realization that even great directors have failures that are more watchable than most.
• Ultimately, while none of the hosts truly “defend” The Ladykillers, their affection for ambitious deep cuts and cinematic oddities makes the film a prime candidate for rediscovery—warts and all.

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