Overture Films with Millennium Films present a PG-13, 104 minute criminal comedy directed by Callie Khouri and starring Diane Keaton (Bridget Cardigan), Queen Latifah (Nina Brewster), Katie Holmes (Jackie Truman), Ted Danson (Don Cardigan), Adam Rothenberg (Bob Truman), Stephen Root (R. D. Glover) with Megan Fay (Mindy Arbogast), Christopher McDonald (Bryce Arbogast), Roger R. Cross (Barry), Marc Macaulay (Agent Wayne) and Mathew Greer (Junior).
The film basically begins where it ends but unfolds the inner truth of it's plot by the use of the ever so famous, flashback. Three women working for the Kansas City Federal Reserve are having the crime of their lives by stealing worn out money about to be destroyed. Bridget an upper class housewife who basically never worked a day in her life discovers she and her husband are in debt for a bundle. In her well written, no luck job search scene, she is given a lead by her unpaid cleaning lady to apply for a job cleaning toilets at the Federal Reserve. Of course not having a record and living an upstanding life, so far, she gets the job.
Bridget soon meets Nina, the money grinder. A mother of two with aspiring dreams of someday sending her boys to an upstanding university she eventually gets reeled in to Bridget's scheme to rob the reserve of easy "recycled" money. But they can't do it alone and need to initiate a cart person that transfers the old money to the grinder. Who better than the ditsy dark haired, thought to be a druggie, Jackie, who spends more time smacking on gum, listening to her I pod and dancing throughout the reserve hallways.
Money gets touched a lot by millions of people, lawyers, shoppers, homeless, sick and healthy people to name a few. These three women have only one key of three standing in their way of illegal wealth. Eventually becoming just one more person to touch this dirty worn out money on its way to the shredder like the millions before it each week.
They all seek out long term security for themselves and their families but hopefully not in the maximum capacity. But greed has a way of rearing its ugly head and pointing its heavy finger at the guilty. Along the way to robbing more and more money some others are also involved in the heist. Sometimes to keep someone hushed one must trade sex for money, just like the old profession called "advertising"! In the end the three women and their accomplices become organized crime members. Bridget, "hates cleaning toilets but the money is so good", to say the least.
Albeit nothing in life goes smoothly, not even a crime run by "Miss Capone". When a bank examiner gets involved in a dual with the reserve boss man, Glover, the pasture becomes not so green on the other side. After three years of robbing the bank the gig is finally up, but with no evidence, can the authorities prove a crime was committed? What about the IRS? Eight months later at a little whole in the wall called Juniors, the truth is told about the real meaning of "Mad Money".
The film reminded me a bit of the oldie but goodie, "9 to 5". It isn't as predictable as you would think but rather has a number of twists and turns. I have a respect for Keaton as an actress and she did not lose it in this role but rather quite the opposite by making this movie a joy to watch filled with laughter, delivered by a skilled performance. I love Queen Latifah, and as usual she pulled off yet another wonderful character in overall just fun movie to watch. Danson, was a good cast choice reflecting his old role as Sam on "Cheers". The big surprise was Holmes since I went into this film doubting her abilities. Even though she plays the young flighty cart girl she definitely pulled it off bringing a new honor to her profession as an actress. Albeit the films story line is a bit far fetched, it still was a well directed, acted, hysterical thought out dramatic crime venture involving more money than any group of people can realistically dream of having in their personal bank account. Come on, if you work at a bank I'm sure you must have thought about it at least once!
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.