Money Monster - Movie Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

A sleekly made thriller with a sparky sense of humour, this is also a rare action movie that has something important to say. Centred around the corruption in the political and banking systems, the film is just as enlightening as The Big Short, but it's a lot more fun to watch. And it's directed by Jodie Foster as a sharp media satire that seems to be skimming along the surface but is actually taking no prisoners.

It's set on Wall Street, where TV guru Lee (George Clooney) hosts his financial advice show Money Monster, directed by his long-time friend Patty (Julia Roberts). Then in the middle of a broadcast, Lee is interrupted live on-air by Kyle (Jack O'Connell), who is consumed with anger because Lee's investment suggestion resulted in the loss of his life savings. Kyle's real target is the banking executive Walt (Dominic West), who has blamed the wipe-out of share prices on a computer glitch. But something about that story doesn't hold water. While Kyle threatens Lee live, a media storm develops around them. And Patty digs into the story with the help of hackers in Korea, Iceland and South Africa, feeding information to Lee through his earpiece.

As the situation spirals out of control, Foster maintains a terrific sense of balance between the edgy suspense and the jagged comedy. This works because, even amid the virtual globe-hopping, she keeps the focus tightly on the interaction between Lee, Patty and Kyle. Clooney and Roberts aren't hugely stretched by their roles, but they are able to add likeable moments of subtle revelation and interaction along the way. O'Connell is the heart of the film, with an impassioned performance that's surprisingly moving. And of course it's easy for everyone in the audience to sympathise with Kyle's frustration about a system in which bankers and politicians pocket billions while the average person struggles to keep their head above water.

Yes, the script is packed with knowing swipes at the immorality that's rife in the system, practices that are technically legal but utterly wrong. It may seem that the media and bankers are easy targets but, even though it's thoroughly enjoyable, there's nothing simplistic about the way this story unfolds. The unexpected, realistic twists and turns of the plot play out with a mixture of powerful emotion, dark intensity and jagged comedy. And it's refreshing that in the end, this isn't a polemic about the evils of the financial system. It's an entertaining romp that isn't afraid to be both satisfying and deeply cynical.

Rich Cline

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Facts and Figures

Year: 2016

Genre: Thriller

Run time: 98 mins

In Theaters: Friday 13th May 2016

Box Office USA: $27.1M

Distributed by: Smokehouse Pictures

Production compaines: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Smokehouse Pictures, Allegiance Theater

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 4 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 55%
Fresh: 89 Rotten: 74

IMDB: 6.5 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director: Jodie Foster

Producer: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Lara Alameddine, Daniel Dubiecki

Screenwriter: Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf

Starring: George Clooney as Lee Gates, Julia Roberts as Patty Fenn, Jack O'Connell as Kyle Budwell, Caitriona Balfe as Diane Lester, Dominic West as Walt Camby, Lenny Venito as Lenny, Giancarlo Esposito as Captain Marcus Powell, Emily Meade as Molly, Chris Bauer as Lt. Nelson, Dennis Boutsikaris as James Goodloe, Olivia Luccardi as Arlene

Also starring: Christopher Denham, Grant Heslov, Jim Kouf