Find out why Money Monster has been described as a gripping thriller.
What happens when the Holy Trinity of Hollywood comes together? George Clooney reunites with Julia Roberts (they were co-stars in Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Twelve) and team up with Jody Foster (as director) for the slick, complex thriller, Money Monster.
Money Monster is the name of a financial TV programme helmed by Lee Gates (played by Clooney), a smarmy, well-dressed, quick-witted television host who uses gimmicks to make his point in the world of high-speed trading. He dons costumes, employs back-up dancers and uses impressive computer graphics to convince viewers into parting with their money and investing in whatever he recommends. Clooney is briliant in this role, playing it effortlessly.
During a live broadcast, blue- collar worker Kyle Budwell (Jack O’Connell) enters with a gun and a home-made bomb vest and takes Gates hostage. He threatens to blow him up along with everyone else in the TV studio. Kyle lost a large sum of money on a tip Gates gave earlier on Ibis Clear Capital, a company that just had its IPO. Like Kyle, many of its shareholders have also lost money on the stock.
The movie develops into a fast-paced action thriller. It shows the dishonest methods used by the CEO of Ibis Clear Capital. Money Master also depicts investigative journalism on steroids as reporters scramble to obtain information and put it together for a news report.
Roberts plays Patti Fenn, the producer of the show. She exudes coolness throughout the crisis and makes the call to continue filming the hostage situation, beaming it live to viewers. It makes for good reality TV, not to mention sky-high ratings as viewers watch mesmerised.
Here, the two lead actors’ offscreen chemistry as good friends translate very well onscreen. Fenn guides, cajoles and admonishes Gates through his earpiece, keeping him calm while her team races against time to dig deeper into Ibis Clear Capital and its CEO.
Roberts, like Clooney, is comfortable taking on any role. Fenn is very much a loner, preferring to have dinner alone in front of the TV on a Friday night. This is in sharp contrast to Gates, who confesses to never having had a meal alone.
Child actress, and award-winner Foster directs this movie with clarity and sharpness, and reveals the workings of a broadcast company. Many critics have wondered why Foster did not play the role of Fenn herself. Foster has had her share of acting in thrillers — The Silence of the Lambs, Panic Room, Flightplan, to name a few. Lately, she has had success as a director in movies and a few episodes of TV series Orange is the New Black and House of Cards.
Money Monster is perfect for those in the financial industry as well as those who are not financially savvy, like this writer, who get a clearer understanding because the financial jargon is explained in the movie’s dialogue. For instance, the chief communications officer for Ibis Clear Capital explains the term black swan, which is a random and unexpected event; and how quantitative analysis works — it is an analysis of the financial market through mathematics and statistics. Of course, to add spice to the movie, this was a case of neither; instead, it was borderline financial fraud.
The movie is clearly a stab at Wall Street and its many dishonest money-making schemes. In the end, one has to make an educated decision on the information one receives. Whether you want to invest all, some or none of your hard-earned savings, the risk is yours to take.
This brings to mind another financial guru Suze Orman, who signs off at the end of her show with sensible advice: “People first, then money, then things”.
Cinema comfort
You need to watch a movie like Money Monster, where you need to concentrate as the plot has many twists and turns, in comfort. Shaw Theatres at Nex mall in Serangoon Central offers a small and cosy private entertainment area where you can, with a button, recline your chair to the perfect position to watch a movie.
The seats, arranged in pairs, are spaced apart so that moviegoers are not all crammed into a small room. The seats are placed quite a distance apart so moviegoers cannot hear the conversations around them. A blanket is provided should the air conditioning get a little too cold.
Food is also served. You can have it in the dining area while you wait for the movie to start. If you cannot finish your food, here, the staff are more than happy to bring it to you in the cinema, so you can continue with your meal without missing any action or dialogue. The food available is standard easy-to-eat fare. We ordered sliders, steak sandwiches, truffle fries and popcorn. There is also quite a good wine list for, perhaps, when you are watching a rom-com.
In all, the service and setting added to our movie enjoyment that night.
This article appeared in the Options of Issue 729 (May 23) of The Edge Singapore.