Diane Keaton appears in her umpteenth film of the season and she has yet to pick a great one. Although she has plenty of that adorable spunk and madcap heiress quality, she’s trapped in a story full of holes. With her are the enormously charming Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes (insert joke here).
Keaton’s the ringleader in a heist to steal money meant for the shredder at the Federal Reserve bank where she works as a janitor. Stretch? No. She’s jobless, her husband's downsized and on the couch, depressed, and their money's been spent on the house, which they must now sell.
When asked why she wants things she can’t have, she replies ‘Do you live in America?’
Times are desperate; they need money whatever way they can take it – legally.
Keaton is wonderful as the brains of the outfit. Her daffy inanities suddenly crystallize, transforming her into a money stealing superhero, the cinematic mashup of Bob Hope, Woody Allen and James Cagney.
Latifah’s character is a proud, self-sufficient single mother, conscientiously raising two sons, a woman who would never commit a crime.
That’s the first flag that all’s not well in the world of script.
Sure, she’s the ‘conscience’ of the crew, but still.
Keaton latches on to the third cog in her wheel – Holmes’ character, a cart pusher who transfers bundles of bills. She feels no moral dilemma, so she’s easy and she is very good in her robbery assignment – a real natural.
The Federal Reserve Bank, we’re told, has never been robbed in its long history. There are too many fail-safes, checks, balances, and CCTV on employees and booming daily lectures from the boss.
Their scheme is bulletproof. It works and they make a killing. Cash flows and before long, bills are paid, children are sent to good schools, motorcycles, motor homes are purchased, and bathrooms are remodeled.
Another flag - excessive spending by blue-collar workers is obviously suspicious. If they’re smart enough to pull off the job, they should be smart enough to lie low.
A bespectacled man starts showing up in odd places, like Keaton’s expensive backyard party and at work; a dicey character who is surely not a friend. Uh oh.
It is for a time, but there’s that niggling hole problem. Characters aren’t consistent and the aforementioned script flaws keep hitting us on the head. On one hand, it’s a shame, on the other, Keaton is so energised and adorable, not to mention ballsy, the problems are almost forgivable.
Holmes is I suppose, playing a dullard, and if so, does a fine job.
Latifah is another actress who withstands bad scripts and is a pleasure to watch.
Callie Khouri of course, directed Thelma and Louise, a ball busting landmark film if there ever was one, two women on the lam, running for their lives. She’s taken a different direction here and while Mad Money is not genius, I believe she makes the most of a deeply flawed script.
But, oh, those signature outfits Diane Keaton wears! Love ‘em!
35mm comedy
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