MOVIE
REVIEW: MAD MONEY
01/17/08
SYNOPSIS: Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) is shocked to
learn that she is on the verge of losing her home and
comfortable upper middle class lifestyle when her husband
Don (Ted Danson) is downsized from his job. Armed only with
a decades old English degree and years as a dedicated mother
and corporate wife, Bridget is forced into the unfamiliar
labor market with no job skills. Finally, she accepts the
only position she can find—janitor at the Federal Reserve
Bank.
The one-time suburban mom soon discovers she has more in
common with her new co-workers than she thought. Bridget
forges an unexpected bond with Nina (Queen Latifah), a
hard-working single mom with two kids to raise, and Jackie
(Katie Holmes), an exuberant free spirit with nothing to
lose. Caught up in a system that underestimates their
talents and keeps their dreams just out of reach, Bridget,
Nina and Jackie set out to even the score.
After a lifetime of playing
by the rules, the three devise a plan to smuggle soon-to-be
destroyed currency out of the supposedly airtight Reserve.
As the unlikely crime syndicate amasses piles of cash, it
looks like they have pulled off the perfect crime—until a
minor misstep alerts the authorities. With more money than
they know what to do with, the women are pushed to the
limits of their ingenuity to stay one step ahead of the law!
REVIEW: “Unless you have a
half-dozen very hard rectangular breasts, we need to talk.”
You’ve seen this same story countless times . . . the
average Joes, or in this case Janes, trying to pull off a
nice sized heist. For my almost teenaged daughter, however,
it was her first and she really enjoyed it. The movie wasn’t
bad it’s just that the plot is almost over done. I can
imagine the moviemakers gathering around a table and saying
that they want to make yet another bank heist movie and what
can they do to make it just a little different from all the
others. Well they came up with an interesting cast, the main
culprits are all women, they are not dealing with an
ordinary bank, it’s a Federal reserve, and they are all
employed there so it’s an inside job. Hmmm, I think it’s
worth the investment so long as you take it at face value.
Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes not only
co-starring in this picture but also playing partners in
crime was the first thing to catch my attention. What a mix!
I’ve got to admit, they blended well. Diane Keaton is a
living legend so she can do no wrong, Queen Latifah does
nothing but shine no matter what the role, and even Katie
delivers a cute role. The characters they play are as you
could predict for each of them. It all starts with Diane’s
character, Bridget of an upper middle class lifestyle, who
is forced to get a job when her husband loses his. What
drives her to a life of crime is one of the most potent
motivators in human existence . . . maintaining the standard
of living you are used to. This movie reminded me of Fun
with Dick and Jane. If you liked that one, you’ll most
probably enjoy this one too besides the fact that this one
is minus Jim Carrey. It is funny and there is some suspense
but I’ve seen similar movies that are better. That doesn’t
take away from the fact that this is still a fun movie to
watch if you’re not expecting too much.
It was interesting to see three completely different walks
of life wanting and needing the same thing but for different
reasons. Bridget (Keaton) wanted to maintain her standard of
living, Nina (Latifah) wanted to rise above the
“just-getting-by” lifestyle, and Jackie (Holmes) wanted to
have some fun. Director Callie Khouri (Ya-Ya Sisterhood,
Oscar winning writer for Thelma & Louise) did a good job of
presenting these diverse backgrounds joining forces for a
common goal even though they were breaking the law. Overall
not a fantastic piece of work for Callie, but it is
something to build on.
Review By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
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