Bringing Down the House
“Everything he needed to know about life, she learned in prison.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Bringing Down The House DVD Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-03-24
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Steve Martin
Peter Sanderson
Queen Latifah
Charlene Morton
Eugene Levy
Howie Rottman
Joan Plowright
Mrs. Virginia Arness
Jean Smart
Kate Sanderson
Kimberly J. Brown
Sarah Sanderson
Angus T. Jones
Georgey Sanderson
Missi Pyle
Ashley
Michael Rosenbaum
Todd Gendler
Betty White
Mrs. Kline
Steve Harris
Widow
Jim Haynie
Ed Tobias
Aengus James
Mike
Jernard Burks
Widow's Bodyguard
Bronzell Miller
Widow's Bodyguard
Matt Lutz
Aaron
Randy Oglesby
FBI Agent
Jesse Corti
Italian FBI Agent
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 7, 2003
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$20M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$132.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.63x
+$112.7M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Adam Shankman
- Screenplay & Story
- Jason Filardi
- Original Score
- Lalo Schifrin
- Original Title
- Bringing Down the House
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 45m
- Production Budget
- $20M
- Worldwide Gross
- $132.7M
- Production Studios
- Touchstone Pictures, Hyde Park Entertainment, Mandeville Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Adam Shankman
Jason Filardi
Lalo Schifrin
Julio Macat, Johnny E. Jensen
Gerald B. Greenberg
Ashok Amritraj, Jane Bartelme, Queen Latifah, David Hoberman
Department Leadership Roster
Ashok Amritraj
Producer
Lalo Schifrin
Original Music Composer
Julio Macat
Director of Photography
Gerald B. Greenberg
Editor
Adam Shankman
Director
Jason Filardi
Screenplay
David Hoberman
Producer
John Medlen
Stunt Coordinator
Pamela Withers
Costume Design
Linda DeScenna
Production Design
Johnny E. Jensen
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bringing Down the House.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Bringing Down the House.
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
My Movies
Movies that I personally own on VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and Digital.
Movies
Movies
Already watched movies.
Promote Black Filmmakers®™ Playlist
All The Movies I Have Seen
All the movies i have seen in my life
Similar Titles to Bringing Down the House
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.3
10.0
6.3
6.5
5.6
7.4
5.7
5.0
4.6
5.6
7.5
6.5
6.8
6.4
6.8
6.2
6.2
6.7
6.4
6.9
More Like Bringing Down the House
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bringing Down the House
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Bringing Down the House about?
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.
Who directed Bringing Down the House?
Bringing Down the House was directed by Adam Shankman.
Who stars in Bringing Down the House?
The principal cast of Bringing Down the House includes Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, Jean Smart.
When was Bringing Down the House released and how long is it?
Bringing Down the House was released in 2003 with a total runtime of 1h 45m.
What was the box office and production budget of Bringing Down the House?
Bringing Down the House had a reported production budget of $20M and grossed $132.7M at the worldwide box office (6.63 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Bringing Down the House?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Bringing Down the House was composed by Lalo Schifrin.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Bringing Down the House?
Bringing Down the House holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).