Surprisingly good, surprisingly bad...

I don't remember seeing ads for this movie back when it came out (1998), but caught a moment when it was on TV, and had Tivo grab it. I really enjoyed it! Eddie Murphy is really at his peak when he is not doing uber slapstick--I like his gentler roles very very much. Jeff Goldblum is always remarkable to me--how can such a goofy lookin' man be so sexy? X-Factor at its finest.

Not surprisingly good-- nay, I expected it to be good: the original movie "The Producers"
Gene Wilder blew me away in this movie. I always liked the man, and found his uniquely quirky humor to my liking, but this movie was Gene Wilder at his finest. I really loved it. I expected it to be good, but had no idea I would enjoy it so much.

Surprisingly Bad: the latest version of "The Producers"
Nathan Lane is perfectly cast--I knew it before I saw it that he would rock the role. But Matthew Broderick was HORRIFICALLY BAAAAD! I ache it's so bad. Cheeeesy, and not in a good way. Maybe his work in this role on Broadway reads well on stage; but in the medium of film, it makes me want to throw the fuck up. Mortifying. I am SO GLAD I saw the old one before I saw this one, or I may have skipped the original altogether. This newest one was so hyped, I expected it to be at least good. But no...just goes to show that if you spend enough on marketing, you can make anything look appealing, even this tripe.