I believe most of the people who claim they did not like this movie, were over thinking it. This is a funny, well done movie. It mixes a lot of great work, especially from "Bobcat", my favorite is his delivery in the Mayday bar, this movie is so 80's. Maybe it rubs some wrong, but if you were an adult in the late 1980's, this movie would be a real treat. Unfortunately many of the jokes are for Americans and our culture; I can understand it not working for other English speakers, such as Canadians, etc. A lot of slang, and *#@! ^& etc. I almost forgot the most offensive part of the movie for those politically correct tobacco Nazis. Almost everyone including Whoopi is shown smoking, and smoking and enjoying it!!! That's right kids it was a widely practiced social interaction between people especially the opposite sex. Just look at it as a time travel back to the 1980's, sex, drugs and rock and road were still alive and well, big hair, and all the rest. You either love it or hate it.

Another in a series of comic vehicles for Whoopi Goldberg in the late 80's, this one features a pretty well crafted mystery buried in amongst the comedy.Bernie Rhodenbarr (Whoopi Goldberg) is a cat burglar by trade. She would like to retire into respectability, but unfortunately, Ray Kirschman (G. W. Bailey), a retired police detective who once busted Rhodenbarr, is now blackmailing her into stealing for him. During one of her "jobs" for Kirschman, Bernie is surprised when Christopher Marshall (Stephen Shellen), the man she's stealing from, comes home unexpectedly. Bernie hides in the bedroom closet, but Marshall isn't alone, and when he and his companion decide to hit the sheets, Bernie is trapped there for the night. In the morning, Bernie overhears and argument between Marshall and someone who comes to see him. Then she hears the sounds of a struggle, and then silence. Eventually, she emerges from the closet to find Marshall dead on the floor with a rather strange looking object sticking out of his chest. She leaves, but is ultimately fingered as both a murder and robbery suspect. She spends the rest of the movie trying to clear herself with a little help from sidekick Carl Hefler (Bobcat Goldthwait), all the while eluding two bumbling detectives (John Goodman and Anne DeSalvo), and dealing with Marshall's widow (Leslie Ann Warren) and her attorney (James Handy). Will she find the truth, will Kirschman turn her in, or will the killer do her in? In spite of some occasional far fetched elements, this is actually a pretty well crafted mystery. Rhodenbarr is resourceful, and that resourcefulness not only helps to keep her out of jail as well as allowing her to figure out who really killed Marshall. The story is told in a comic way, but it is quite credible, nonetheless.The acting was quite enjoyable. Goldberg, of course, turns in a masterful performance. Warren's over the top hysterics work well with her character, and show just how much range she has. Goodman and DeSalvo are amusing as the bumbling detectives. Goldthwait and Bailey are rather annoying, as is par for the course with both of them, but they do manage to make their characters work. And Handy's performance is nicely layered between the public face as an upright lawyer, and the private face as a disturbed man capable of shocking violence.Yes, it's a silly movie, but if you look beneath the silliness, you may be surprised to find a well crafted whodunit. And either way, it's just an enjoyable movie.

I really enjoyed this movie, actually I've enjoyed it a number of viewings. I purchased the DVD. Why did Whoopie stop making movies that were so much fun. I enjoyed the books for which the movie is based, and prefer a woman to a man as a cat burglar. The cast is wonderful, especially Leslie Ann Warren, she is a total hoot. I won't spoil the ending but it was really cool. The atmosphere while they are bar-hopping is so realistic, having been a bar-hopper in my youth in San Francisco. Why isn't Hollywood making these little sleeper hits anymore. Now its all big budget busts, or small artsy fartsy movies. How about a well played mystery without the "Big" named pretty boys and girls as stars. More movies like this and perhaps the box office slump will not stop slumping...

I love the Bernie Rhondenbarr books (written by Lawrence Block) and was thrilled to learn on his website that a movie version had been made of "Burglar in the Closet" that I'd never seen (give me a break - I was like 3 years old when it came out). Then, I read that Bernie was played by Whoopi Goldberg. Nothing against Whoopi, but that's horrifying. Bernie works so well in the books because he is this strange little Jewish man, not because he is a loud, obnoxious black woman. Doesn't fit. I saw the movie anyway, and was hugely disappointed. Maybe if I was unfamiliar with the books, I could have enjoyed it more, but instead I came away feeling upset with the butchery of a character I adore. I have heard, however, that Block has considered turning "Burglars Can't be Choosers" into a film starring George Clooney. I hope it will fare better.