Review of Funny Money (2006) by Santiago P — 22 Mar 2008

Honey, answer the door...it's Chevy Chase, it's 2008, and we're supposed to still be laughing at his unfortunate chin and smart-ass horny persona. Unfortunately, the chin lost its quirkiness and he's about 214, or at least has the comic timing of someone that age.

Despite the fact that this film must have had a budget of - I'd say, total - two hundred and.

Fourteen dollars (and that was probably on make-up for Robert Loggia), it actually is, more often than not, quite entertaining. It's based on a British play (which means its possibly off to a good start already) and involves a briefcase stuffed with millions of dollars falling into the wrong hands...or more specifically, Chevy Chase. Does it matter that his wife (played by 80s beauty queen Penelope Ann Miller) needs to ditch all the the pink immediately, because it's eating her body? Or that Romania looks absolutely NOTHING like Hoboken, New Jersey? Or that action scenes never looked quite this tediously fake and - oh, damn it, boom mic, hit that string attached to the falling body out of camera shot while you're on your way out! (And pick up Robert Loggia's body, while you're at it dammit?!).

I'm not familiar with the original material, but I do have to give this film the benefit of the doubt -it's got quite a few actual funny moments, and besides, it's about MONEY! I've never seen such an adequate title for a piece of work since the FRACKING DAVE MATTHEWS BAND!!!!!

And Chevy even gets a swipe in at his arch nemesis Howard Stern (next time he prank calls you late at night, Chevy, ask him how come he sold out to satellite radio? I mean, at least you're keeping it real with - umm, crap like "Snow Day" and all.) Hey, it's funnier than "Under the Rainbow"! And you get to see a grown man (at least, he's supposed to be) lick something blue off the naked buttock of a statue. Hell, this is 2008 and I know you're there already!