Jodie Foster steps behind the camera to direct George Clooney and Julia Roberts in a hostage thriller that may strike a chord with anyone who has no clue about how money that didn’t exist screwed up our lives.
Usually in doing this job I don’t want to watch Trailers or read other Reviews. I like to go into a movie knowing as little as possible in order to see something with fresh eyes. It’s a horrible thing to know too much about a movie before going to see it for the first time. This was proved to me many years ago when I watched too many trailers and TV spots for a particular film. I read a little about the films I go to see now, just so before the film when having a conversation with other reviews I don’t look like the biggest moron in the room. At least more than usual. So a few of my fellow reviewers were able to see Money Monster before me, I think I was off saving the Universe or my own body, one or the other. There were very few good things said about this film. I don’t pay too much attention to other people’s opinions as my haircuts through the years have proven. So here is my thoughts on this above average and highly enjoyable thriller.
Clooney plays Lee Gates the host of a Financial advice show on a network, he’s an over the top showman, like the Ring Master in a circus. He gives the advice for thousands of Americans to follow. When one of his tips goes bad, a loner, perfectly played by Jack O’Connell, turns up during one of the live shows and takes the studio hostage. All this man wants is the answer to why 800 Million dollars was wiped off the shares of a company that he invested the last of his money in. Julia Roberts plays Patty the hard done by Producer of the show. When the hostage situation starts she keeps everyone calm and keeps the show on the air. The Police outside are trying to work out the best way of taking Jack down while avoiding killing someone on National TV.
I honestly don’t know what people expect when they go see a film. It seems to be that when a cast of this caliber come together, with a good director, and a very entertaining script, they expect fireworks through the whole running time. Here in Money Monster we have one of the better thrillers in recent years.
Yes it’s not outstanding and there have been better movies about the financial crisis but there is one thing that we always forget. Not every movie is meant to be Seven, The Sound of Music, or whatever movie you hold in high esteem. A good thriller keeps you guessing, a bad thriller you can plot out three minutes in advance, and this is a good thriller. I did guess a little of what was going to happen but there were enough constant changes in the script to keep you interested in the film. As the story is broadcast through the Television and Internet channels through the world we learn that the true nature of the company losing the money is deeper than the computer glitch that they announced.
Something was not adding up and as the hostage situation progresses Clooney and Roberts start to question the money that was lost too. We delve deeper into the scandal that rocked the company and the sleazy company director played well by Dominic West.
You’ve got to admire the way that the scriptwriter’s and Jodie Foster manage to keep us on the edge of our seat and make a blistering social commentary. Not about just the financial crisis in general but the way that we consume the news around us. How when coverage of one tragedy is over we just move like unfeeling sheep to the next news story. So while you sit there and feel that you’ve been given a movie that is worth your cinema cash, start to think about getting involved in the news yourself. Not with a gun and a bomb vest, but just ask a question, and keep asking until you get an answer that makes sense.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Director:Â Jodie Foster
Writers: Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf
Stars:Â George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell
See Full Cast HERE
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