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What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 28 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Crime
Written by:
Donald E. Westlake (novel)
Matthew Chapman
Directed by: Sam Weisman
Release Date:
Theatrical: June 1, 2001
DVD: January 2, 2002
Running Time: 97 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for language and sexual content
Starring Martin Lawrence, Danny DeVito, John Leguizamo, Glenne Headly, Nora Dunn, and Richard Schiff
The story of two seemingly very different men, caught up in a stupendous battle of egos. Max Fairbanks (DeVito) is a very wealthy, powerful man who has built an incredibly successful business empire by being ruthless. Kevin Caffrey (Lawrence) is a sophisticated procurer of other people's possessions. An accidental meeting brings the two men together, and in a simple moment their fates are sealed. (MGM)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star George of the Jungle The Out-of-Towners
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Slate David Edelstein
The movie made me laugh a lot anyway. It has a big, inventive cast of loons and a great premise.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
Mostly a lazy string of setups and sight gags, of tongue-in-cheek confrontations between the two stars that barely amount to sketches.
Read Full Review >USA Today Mike Clark
This dispensable comedy has a few unexpectedly loopy surprises, including an outlandishly gay detective (played by versatile actor William Fichtner), who loves the Ice Capades but loathes insurance fraud.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
Best when DeVito plays off the supporting cast surrounding him.
New Times (L.A.) Luke Y. Thompson
Actually boasts a decent script with character development, a sense of pace and some well-drawn supporting roles.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer
This sometimes funny but ultimately convoluted movie would have benefited enormously from letting Lawrence loose.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
Filmmakers run out of ideas long before the final.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman
This frothy little crime comedy isn't half bad, bubbling with caper-farce energy supplied by a game ensemble cast and a source novel by prolific pulp writer Donald E. Westlake.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Charles Taylor
I don't know when a bad movie has made me laugh as much as this one. Most of the gags are vintage silliness: foreign double talk, characters donning funny costumes, well-timed profanities.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
Supposed to be a cheeky little lark but instead runs a narrow gamut from labored to aimless.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker
It simply isn't that funny or clever. For a comedy, that's about the worst that could happen
Read Full Review >Variety Robert Koehler
The star in this case is Martin Lawrence, who is not only thoroughly upstaged by nemesis Danny DeVito but is completely boxed out of his comfort zone for broad physical comedy.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Tanya L. Edwards
Among the disconnected scenes are a few that are downright hilarious, and the actors do their best to rise above disjointed material.
Read Full Review >The New York Times A.O. Scott
The movie turns into a cobweb of tricky spins and twists that seems like a hip-hop version of "Ruthless People."
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
Laborious in the unfolding of its plot, and under Sam Weisman's brash direction the unabashed amorality of the material is crass rather than sly in tone.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Larry Terenzi
Struggles for any kind of movement and cohesion -- and most of all for any kind of humor.
Rolling Stone Peter Travers
Lawrence forgoes his knack for verbal comedy and replaces it with crude nonstop mugging.
Read Full Review >Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
Certainly grows in its own right, into a coarse-grained summer vaudeville that could have been much smarter and sharper without losing its target audience.
Chicago Tribune Mark Caro
Packed with gratuitous dumb moments -- which is too bad, given that the premise has promise.
New York Post Lou Lumenick
Dumbed down to the point where it's barely recognizable as coming from one of Donald Westlake's John Dortmunder novels.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Stephen Hunter
Now and then sputters to comic life but more usually wheezes along.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
Too many characters, not enough plot, and a disconnect between the two stars' acting styles.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Michael Atkinson
I'd rather watch a forgotten houseplant dehydrate and die.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Paul Malcolm
Comes off as a desperate attempt to breathe life into dull proceedings.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Maybe the worst thing that can happen is that every other movie at the multiplex will be sold out this weekend.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 4.8 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Ellie E. gave it a 10:
It was hevay! I couldn't stop laughin, i was watchin it wiv my mum n sister, i think those others are idiots for giving it less then 7.
Gilbert M. gave it a 2:
You're asking for it with a title like that. I mean, what with the amount of imagination critics have these days, a title like that is exactly what they need! They'll jump on it like a pack of hungry flesh-eating antelopes, they will, viz: "What's the Worst That Could Happen? This. Film. Is." And they'd have a point.
Pero P. gave it an 8:
Martin Lawrence is great, and Danny de Vito isn't as bad as he can be.
Robert B. gave it a 5:
Even though it had a moment or two that made me laugh, it mostly just feels too disjointed. I like comedies, but I was just staring silently for most of the movie.
Maria W. gave it a 2:
Martin Lawrence, in my opinion, is going downhill in the comedy department. This movie held some laughs but not enough to make me want to see it again. Somebody, wake up Martin!!
Maxine gave it a 4:
I thought it was a pretty stupid movie and a waste of money. Even though there were good jokes this movie was pointless.
