Mad Money

I was expecting to start watching this movie then switch it off. Yes my expectations were low. However this little movie was great, not great art but a great pleasure to watch. I am no fan of any of the three leading actresses but they made this a joy to watch. Ted Danson (who I could never warm to in Cheers) impresses me with his timing and (in Damages) his acting talent. The story is simply told and is absorbing, entertaining and (unusually for a modern comedy) funny. Not uproariously but it made me smile on many occasions. The viewer cares about the characters and what happens to them and that is a testament to the writing and direction. It is not the best comedy I have ever seen nor the best heist movie but the sum is greater than the parts. Keaton was very good and Queen Latifah was terrific support. I recommend this for a pleasant way to pass an hour or so.

I'm sorry, I just couldn't get into it; let alone believe it could actually happen. Was not impressed much with the shallow ensemble. A female version of the OCEAN'S 11 franchise. Diane Keaton plays suburbanite Bridget Cardigan, whose husband Don(Ted Danson)loses his job and has spent a year without finding another one. Bridget, skilled in absolutely nothing, wrangles a job working maintenance at a Federal Reserve Bank, where she gets the cunning and dangerous idea of talking two other employees into stealing worn-out money ready for the shredder. So you have Nina(Queen Latifah),a single mother, and Jackie(Katie Holmes),a young free spirit, getting ready to pull off a heist with Bridget that will change all of their desperate and diverse lives. I have to admit that Holmes makes the movie interesting. Replace Keaton and Latifah with say maybe Charlize Theron and Catherine Zeta-Jones and you've got something to really watch. Now I guess I'm the one who is ridiculous. Also in MAD MONEY are: Stephen Root, Roger Cross and Christopher McDonald.