Mad Money (2008)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Callie Khouri

Writers (WGA):

Glenn Gers (screenplay)
John Mister (earlier screenplay)

Release Date:

18 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

They're having the crime of their lives...

Plot:

Three female employees of the Federal Reserve plot to steal money that is about to be destroyed. |

Plot Keywords:

Job Interview | Caper | Interrogation | Fourth Of July | Co Worker

Cast

Diane Keaton	...	Bridget Cardigan
Ted Danson	...	Don Cardigan
Katie Holmes	...	Jackie Truman
Adam Rothenberg	...	Bob Truman
Queen Latifah	...	Nina Brewster
Peyton 'Alex' Smith	...	Older Dante (as Peyton Smith)
Charlie Caldwell	...	Cop #1
Richard F Law	...	Cop #2 (as Richard Law)
Meagen Fay	...	Mindy Arbogast
Christopher McDonald	...	Bryce Arbogast (as Chris McDonald)
Denise Lee	...	Counselor
Sylvia Castro Galan	...	Selina
Morgana Shaw	...	Molly
Roger R. Cross	...	Barry (as Roger Cross)
Stephen Root	...	Glover

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual material and language, and brief drug references.

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Malaysia:U | Singapore:PG | Brazil:10 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Shreveport, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Big City Pictures

Goofs:

Factual errors: In order to keep unauthorized items (weapons, cameras, etc.) out of Federal Reserve buildings, all personnel are scanned before entering the building, not on their way out.

Quotes:

Bridget Cardigan: [trying to assure Nina who are nervous about her sex abilities] It's like riding a bicycle... upside down.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ellen Page/Wilco (#33.6)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Got To Give It Up

Underrated heist comedy

Directed by Callie Khouri (best known for writing the famous Ridely Scott film "Thelma & Louise"), Mad Money tells the story of three women working at the Kansas Federal Reserve Bank (though the movie was shot in Louisiana) who work out a system to steal money that is about to be shredded. Obviously, stuff happens.

Mad Money is far from being the best heist film out there. Recent efforts such as After The Sunset, The Italian Job, The Thomas Crown Affair, Entrapment or The Ladykillers are all much cooler. But just as Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's" series is extremely overrated, this widely panned film is quite underrated. Actually, though it is central to the plot, the movie doesn't really focus on the heist element that much preferring to stick with character interactions and light comedy. Here also it's far from the funniest movie out there, but the humor is pleasant and harmless.

The acting is pretty good all around. Diane Keaton is certainly better here than in her horrible performance in the previous year's Because I Said So, and while some may find baffling that Katie Holmes chose this over The Dark Knight, she certainly does a better job here at playing a ditz than her uselessness in Batman Begins. Who knows? Maybe she just doesn't like Batman, maybe she wanted a role that would center more on her, maybe she just loves Thelma & Louise and is willing to have a lower paycheck, which, being married to Tom Cruise, she can totally afford to do. Queen Latifah is her usual self and it's always cool to see Ted Danson and Christopher McDonald (even if it's little more than a glorified cameo).

The movie has flaws yes, and shouldn't really show up on anyone's top 10 or top 200 list. The flashback narration doesn't really work that well and the ending is pretty ludicrous, but what the hell it's just a movie folks. I don't think anyone involved in the making of Mad Money declared that this movie will radically change your views on life. It's just simple harmless entertainment, something pleasant to watch if you stumble upon it.