Funny Money

interesting movie

source: Funny Money

With a title of "Funny Money" you ought to be able to work out that this is a film that doesn't take itself seriously ... and neither should you (take it seriously). If it helps, forget the fact that Chevy Chase is playing the lead (lots of big actors play direct-to-video films anyway), and see it more as a feature-length TV episode. There are belly-laughter moments. Just don't be expecting a different kind of film based on your experience of contemporary comedy film (for example gross-out humour). This film is less "slapstick", it is farce; that means the humor lies in lots of things happening very quickly continually upsetting the situation. The beginning of the film is not so hot but is necessary to set up the premise for the rest of the story. So basically, stick with it to when it gets to the main act. Overview: A frivolous, fun and funny 97 minutes. Don't go expecting the scale and budget of a theatrical release.

"Funny Money" is trying to be a slapstick farce, that style of comedy based on misunderstandings and incredible coincidences that put the characters into increasingly ridiculous predicaments as the story progresses. Farcical films are usually based on farcical plays. This kind of comedy is really, really difficult to pull off on the stage, and near impossible to get right on film. Blake Edwards got it about right in films like "A Shot in the Dark" and Peter Bogdonavich's adaptation of "Noises Off" wasn't bad. But the list of farce films that work is very short. Not only must the writing and performances be 100% right on the money, as they do on the stage, but the visual pacing, shooting style and editing also have to be 100% right. If any one of those things is off, the film goes on another list--the "totally sucks" list. And this film,"Funny Money," also based upon a stage play, has to be at the top of that totally sucks list. It fails on every count imaginable and is one of the most painful attempts at this kind of humor I've ever sat through. I'd like to say that a better, more experienced filmmaker could have made this better, but I have suspicions that the original play it was based upon sucked as well (based upon the incredible depths of suckage this thing reaches).

I wasted 97 minutes of my life watching this crap. I only watched it because I am auditioning for the play at my local amateur theater. I am now truly re-considering going to the audition! This film was simply unfunny, not 1 laugh was had by me. I reckon Chevy Chase and all other cast members would want to remove this film from their resume. I think this carries the tradition of stage plays not transferring to film. Shame, it had a good cast on paper. Now I worry that if the movie is this unfunny that the play may also be unfunny. I se that the original author, Ray Cooney, was also a producer for the movie. He must have so many regrets now!

I was happy to see some new material from Chevy; I know that originality is almost abstract thing in 2008. but still, what is offered here is more then insulting to anyone. Every single idea and solution that carries this silly story is not only overstretched from every single corner possible; but gone completely out of the roof with idiotism of the worst kind. Did studio had some spare rolls of film on their hands? This story would fit more as a play, particularly when you consider that almost entire movie takes place in one single room! I doubt even a change of the scene would be necessary because such miserable results are found here. Nothing is funny here. Everyone from the otherwise charming casting (with unbearable euphoria)is trying to support this idiocy - but nothing, I mean nothing could help this story. How and Why was Chevy even involved with this, save alone how would anyone even sleep at night knowing that people would watch this as finished results... is beyond my grasp! This movie (did I just say movie?) is not even bad, this movie does not exist.

Henry Perkins (Chevy Chase) is been working at a fruit wax company for many years and he doesn't seem to be appreciate by his boss (Robert Loggia). In this day, Henry is also celebrating his birthday. Which his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) wants to planning a surprise birthday party for her husband. But when Henry accidentally switched his briefcase with a stranger from the subway. Herny finds $5 million on the briefcase that looks like his. Since Henry realizes quickly the situation of this problem. Since the mysterious guy, he accidentally switch his briefcase has his identity in it. Henry wants to leave the country with his struggling artist wife to Europe but the Perkins' only friends (Christopher McDonald and Alex Meneses) shows up his birthday party. But there's more to come... when Henry has problems with a sleazy corrupted police detective (Armand Assante), a taxi driver (Guy Torry) who doesn't like to be waiting, a clumsy police detective (Kevin Sussman), a very rich kinky woman named MM. Virginia (Rebecca Wisocky) who feels Henry's wife has some talent and the European mob boss known as Mr. Big (Zoltan Butuc) & his crew is searching for his briefcase. Directed by Leslie Grief made an watchable but hardly funny farce. There's a few good laughs here but not much of it. The movie seems to have energy from his cast but the script also written by the director and Harry Basil is quite poor. The movie feels rushed, gags are not well executed and it is also badly filmed. Grief's wasted a capable good cast. I do believe Chase could be really funny actor but i think, it works best when he is in the hands of a good comedic filmmaker like Harold Ramis or John Landis. Ann Miller's performance is really irritating here. Since it's based on a stage play of the same title by Ray Cooney. I am sure, the stage play works much better than this misfired picture. It's certainly a nice try and it's more of a Curio film than entertainment. Too bad. (* ½/*****).

Chevy Chase Fans? Are you kidding? His last decent gig was when he left SNL and that made the show better! 1975 for you sports fans...Watch Murray in Quick Change (1990) for a great funny movie. Maybe I'll grant you Foul Play w/Goldie Hawn, but that was 1978... come on Chevy, explain how anyone even sends you a script these days, Chase and Miller have the screen chemistry of a fly drawn to my Great Dane's dog droppings. Speaking of Miller she is not well liked in the industry because she needs a personality transplant and is mean to the crew. Armand Assante....what happened? Stick to mob movies man...hes's great in American Gangster and holds his own against Denzel.

This is an adequate comedy, but nothing outstanding. I understand that this was derived from a stage play, and it appears to be. Lots of talk and interplay, little "action" in the sense of car chases, etc. The story is highly improbable. Our hero, Henry, manages to switch, accidentally, a briefcase from his office with an identical one with $5 million. The switch takes place on a subway, where "Mr. Nasty" is holding the money stuffed briefcase on his lap. Henry discovers the contents of the switched briefcase, and decides to leave town immediately so that he and his wife won't get killed. Henry's wife, though, has just been discovered by a patroness of the arts, who likes her art, which is highly genitalious. The action takes place on Henry's birthday, and they're expecting guests. Getting away gets stymied by visitors, including a cabbie, two policemen, and Henry's boss. Henry spins tales to keep control while trying to get to the airport before "Mr. Nasty" finds him. Naturally, the cover stories get more complicated and the action gets rather Byzantine. The dialog gets rapid and complex. Some of it is quite amusing, but other parts kinda drag. As light entertainment, though, it's okay.

In January of 2007 this movie debuted in limited release on four screens, pulled in less than $2000, and hopefully those few people demanded a refund. The director and the cast should have paniced sometime during filming when it became clear that the movie had only one joke, not amusing the first time around, but repeated over and over in every scene until I finally had to give up and switch away to a re-run of a Jeopardy game. I liked Chevy Chase early in his career in TV and film, but his talents have dissipated even more quickly than his hair. He walks thru this film with no flair or style whatsoever. This has been all too common in some of his later efforts. A sad waste of time for everyone involved, especially the viewer.