Money Monster

Money Monster

Starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell, Dominic West

Directed by Jodie Foster

The Story:
Lee Gates (George Clooney) is a cable financial host whose eccentric personality and lively graphics turn Wall Street humdrum activities into an exciting show.  Behind the scenes, director Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts) directs his every move, and makes sure all the hectic pieces come together to produce a great show.

One day, she notices Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell) behind Lee, and before she knows it he comes out holding a gun, and forces Lee to put on a bomb vest.  As she calmly gets most of the crew out, Kyle announces that he's doing this because he lost his savings by investing in bonds Lee said was a safe bet - until one day an algorithm glitched, and the investors lost $800 million dollars overnight.  Kyle holds the company, IBIS Clear Capital, and its CEO Walt Camby (Dominic West) responsible, but West is nowhere to be found.

As they frantically search for him, Patty begins to piece the puzzle together, and begins to realize that Kyle isn't as crazy as he seems - she just has to direct Lee to keep Kyle calm before he blows up everyone in the building.

The Synopsis:
Back in 2006, Spike Lee directed a film called "Inside Man" starring Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen, and centered around a bank heist on Wall Street.  "Money Monster," directed by Foster, has the same feel that "Inside Man" had - they both also shared the same cinematographer.  Both films dealt with the corruption and greed of Wall Street, and both had some very tense moments with stellar casts.

In "Monster," we have the oft-pairing of longtime friends George Clooney and Julia Roberts - both A-list actors, both at the top of their game - and their easy comradere is felt throughout the film.  Clooney is the lead, and his character is an obvious fictitious version of "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer - both deal with Wall Street, and both direct their shows in overly eccentric fashion that makes it easier to watch and not be bored by the crunching numbers.  Roberts is the director behind the scenes, who constantly tells Lee what to do in his earpiece.  The connection between the two is undeniable, which helps the viewer feel the close bond the two share.

Newcomer Jack O'Connell (who appeared in the fantastic "Unbroken") serves as one of the antagonists in the movie.  Even though his character holds Lee hostage, you can't help but feel bad for him.  He lost all his money, he works a dead-end job, barely makes ends meet, and his girlfriend is pregnant.  He wants answers from the CEO as to what happened to the money, and he stupidly decided to commit a crime to do it.  He's at the end of his rope, and he in a way represents middle-to-lower-class Americans.  Dominic West serves as the main antagonist, the evil CEO who uses talking points and scapegoats to hide behind and not fully admit fault.  He's your typical slimy Wall Street executive, who values money over human life.

Jodie Foster directs a well-timed and modern story, set in a claustrophobic studio, that slowly builds suspense and delivers a mystery that slowly unravels.  You can guess what really happens, but it's still fascinating how they connect the dots and keeps you entertained throughout.  Just like the show in the movie, Foster manages to make what seems boring into something exciting, in no small part to the excellence of the three main actors on screen.

Besides making Wall Street a villain, the film also establishes the seemingly slow death of humanity as a whole.  As the events are happening live on television, people watch it with an almost glee, as some laugh, some play Foosball, and others have a nonchalant attitude toward everything.  In the end, everyone goes back to their normal lives, without a care in the world.  Here, Foster seems to turn the lens on ourselves, and our lack of humanity in favor of the almighty dollar.  We see tragic events happen all the time, and we continue on with our daily routines as if it never happened - or, more terrifyingly, as if we don't care at all.

The Summary:
With an esteemed director at the helm, the top-notch acting chops of three A-list celebrities, and a well-timed story that could capture headlines today, "Money Monster" is a top-notch thriller that builds suspense and gives a great mystery to unravel.

The Score: A-