MouseHunt

Ernie and Lars Smuntz (Lane and Evans) are going through a bad patch. Their dying father's string factory is making a loss; Ernie's position as a chef has just been terminated; and dimwit Lars couldn't hold down a job even if he tried. Then father dies, leaving them the factory and a decrepit country mansion. As luck would have it, though, the house is worth a fortune, so the pair set about restoring it for auction. There's just one obstacle: a territorial mouse with an attitude problem. This film comes over as a mix of Laurel and Hardy, Home Alone and Tom and Jerry, and it works very well. Lane is especially funny, his deadpan Hardy-esque mannerisms working perfectly against Evans' winsome Laurel-inspired character, and there's a memorable cameo from Walken as a manic exterminator. It looks good, too, the generous use of wood and autumnal colours giving it an earthy, almost timeless appearance. Exceptional effects.