"Money Monster" Review

Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster returns to the director's chair for her fourth feature, Money Monster starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Unbroken's Jack O'Connell.

Money Monster is a timely, original thriller the likes of which Hollywood doesn't make anymore. Taut, well-acted and corny in the best way, it's precisely the kind of star-driven moviemaking the mainstream desperately needs more of these days.

The story (from an original concept by the writers of NBC's Grimm series Alan DiFiore and Jim Kouf) examines the consequences of greed and misinformation in the digital age. Lee Gates (Clooney) is the host of a nightly financial news show called "Money Monster." Picture Jim Cramer on "Mad Money," and you've got a solid idea of Gates' character and the tone of the "Money Monster" show. Keeping all that charisma in check is Patty (Roberts), the show's program director. Another hectic day in the studio becomes even more dire when an assailant named Kyle (O'Connell) charges the stage with a gun pointed at Gates' head during a live broadcast. Turns out, Kyle lost his nest egg on a stock that Gates touted as a "sure thing," and now the distressed young man wants answers. Together, Gates and Patty use every resource at their disposal to get Kyle what he wants, even if that means haphazardly uncovering an $800 million corporate conspiracy.

Though the film eventually devolves from a tense chamber piece into a far-fetched climax, it's come to this reviewer's attention that the main scenario depicted in Money Monster isn't at all hard to believe. In fact, the threat of something like this is very real for grassroots reporters and commentators who can't afford Jim Cramer's security team. In that sense, Money Monster should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone reporting on the financial landscape, anyone involved in potential illicit corporate activity, and for the rest of us out looking for our next solid investment.

Acting performances are first-rate with all three leads melding perfectly with their roles. Gates is tailor-written for a star with Clooney's looks and stage presence, so it's actually quite easy to watch him here and see Lee Gates as opposed to George Clooney talking about stocks. Roberts is once again Clooney's perfect foil as the two have effortless chemistry, even in the film's most intense moments. It never feels like we're watching two of the world's biggest movie stars. O'Connell embodies the voice of "the 99 percent" as Kyle, and he pulls off the gritty New Yorker thing with some nuance. As for the direction, Foster's hand feels confident in every scene and proves she knows how to assemble a tight, engaging narrative. I'd love to see her in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Captain Marvel, perhaps.

Money Monster needs to be seen by anyone working in a fast-paced market and/or anyone who appreciates the Hollywood crime thrillers of the early 1990s (i.e. The Fugitive, Clear and Present Danger, etc.). Go support this movie because we simply need more like it.

A-