Review of Money Monster (2016) by Freddie K — 07 Aug 2016

"The name is Lee Gates, the show is Money Monster".

George Clooney is the fucking man!

Money Monster is a film about an investor taking justice into his own hands by taking Lee Gates, the show of a stock market show titled 'Money Monster', into a hostage situation.

The good? Money Monster is an exceptional thriller. Almost always, it has you gripping your seat and wondering what is going to happen next. Director Jodie Foster excellently balances all sub elements of this film. Whether is be the police, Lee Gates and Patty Fenn's (played by Julia Roberts) side by side teamwork and the crisis surrounding Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell) and the shady CEO of Ibis, Walt Camby (Dominic West). There is a great amount of dark humour jokes that play really well to Money Monster, but they are written well so it is only chuckle funny, and not bustlingly hilarious so it doesn't take the action away from the situation. Acting wise, George Clooney shines as well as Jack O'Connell, potent performances from the two of them. The themes of the film cover luck, loss and the embarrassment that is corruption, as well as factors that come into play such as human control.

The bad? Money Monster doesn't set up any great characters, it doesn't even have the most gripping sequences that make you shy your eyes. It's a very solid, compact thriller that will certainly make you root for the 'right thing'. There are some issues regarding the human commentary in this movie, such as an unresolved ploy of human devotion that fails and is not really referred to ever again which was highly irritating. Money Monster isn't an prodigious or exceedingly performed film, but it's seriously husky and very entertaining with a lovely sprinkle layer of dark and modest justice.

B+.

79/100.