Mad Money

 

 

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This movie will never be a classic; however, with a strong cast and a whimsical plot line, Mad Money is an excellent vehicle to spend a couple of hours of lighthearted movie time.

Bridget (Diane Keaton)'s husband (Ted Danson) has been out of work for over a year, they've spent all their savings, and are about to sell their house, so Bridget gets a job as a janitor at a Federal Reserve Bank. There, worn-out bills are taken (by Katie Holmes' character) to be shredded (by Queen Latifah's character). Bridget comes up with a fool-proof plan with the other two ladies to take the money home instead of shredding it. Who's to know?

This movie is loosely based on an incident that occurred in England. Despite the talented cast, I didn't like this movie. I WANTED the women to get caught and punished. Bridget's manic greediness went way past annoying and became offensive. I hated her. They lived in a mansion. If they needed money, they could sell it. And her husband could have gotten off the couch in almost two years and found a job, but he didn't. I couldn't respect or like either of them.

The characters aren't developed beyond a brief overview: Bridget's a rich, spoiled snob, Holmes plays a drugged-out space cadet, and Latifah plays the world's best mother. That's it; we never see them develop a friendship or any common ground except greed. I did like Latifah's character and thought Roger Cross was excellent as a kind-hearted security guard, but the hysterical pleasure the women take in breaking the law just rubbed me the wrong way. In the movie, someone asks, "When you go to a bank, don't you think about stealing all the money?" I don't, so I guess that's why I didn't like the film.

When money wears out, the government shreds it to make way for a new rush of fresh, crisp bills. There's brilliant comic potential right there.

But alas, that comic potential is not realized in "Mad Money," a limply long-winded comedy that strives to be quirky, original and distinctly girly. Unfortunately the comic timing is always at least a little off, the writing is mediocre, and the three lead actresses are either given little to work with, or just don't have the acting muscle to make you care.

Bridget (Diane Keaton) is living a comfortable upper-middle-class existence in the suburbs -- until her laid-off hubby Don (Ted Danson) reveals that they are up to their ears in debt, and he can't get another job. Goodbye suburban splendor.

So Bridget rushes out to get a job, only to find that the only job an unskilled older woman can get is as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank. But when she sees Nina (Queen Latifah) shredding the worn-out bills, Bridget becomes hungrily determined to save her luxe lifestyle by smuggling out those about-to-be-destroyed bills... or "recycling" them, as she puts it.

So -- with the help of the impoverished Nina and funky, spacey young coworker Jackie (Katie Holmes) -- Bridget concocts a complex plan to smuggle out the bills, involving garbage cans, security cameras, locks and big panties. And for a time, it seems their troubles are over -- but of course, as the flash-forward interrogations show, things are not going to just go smoothly for those who steal, even if the money is worn out.

In theory, "Mad Money" is a funny movie -- it has a plot that hasn't really been dealt with before, and any complex series of escapades inevitably offers room for comedy. But somehow "Mad Money" never gels into something really entertaining -- instead, I spent most of the seemingly endless plot waiting for something unexpected to happen. Occasionally, I chuckled reluctantly.

A lot of the blame for that lies on Callie Khouri's shoulders -- she skims over potentially funny moments, and tries to draw out extremely unfunny ones by padding them with unspeakably lame dialogue ("Is this an intervention?"). And despite its manic energy (throwing bills around the bedroom), the plot unfolds at a painfully sluggish pace, which only gets interesting near the crazy finale.

Nor do acting and characterization save the day. Keaton does a solid, slightly manic job as a desperate woman who feels she has no choice but to "recycle," although she's a bit too spoiled to be likable. Latifah plays the same feisty-sista role she's played in a dozen other movies, and a snarly-haired, blank-eyed Holmes demonstrates the acting range of a pair of dentures. But with more exposed teeth.

"Mad Money" has plenty of money shown, but very little madness. This manic yet somehow dull comedy had quite a bit going for it, but sinks under the weight of its unquirky, unfunny self.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Whole Lot of Fun!
I always have a fun time watching this film and I have indeed watched it many times! Just a very lighthearted film with terrific performances from Diane Keaton and Ted Danson! Read more

Published 11 months ago by Discombobulated

5.0 out of 5 stars it GREAT!!
This movie is really a good one! I had rented "Mad Money" from a local video store and really liked it-so was very happy to purchase it --now its in my "collection"

Published 22 months ago by Donna V. Burnham

4.0 out of 5 stars Tout sauf devenir pauvre !
Une femme qui n'a jamais travaillée de toute sa vie va tout faire pour garder son train de vie, ce que le matérialiste peut faire des fois je vous jure... Read more

Published on May 22 2008 by Vladyk Barnes

3.0 out of 5 stars A dollar saved is a dollar earned
Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) suddenly finds herself out of money and upper class home when her husband Don (Ted Danson) gets downsized from his company. Read more

Published on Mar 23 2008 by Amanda Richards

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