A Small Fortune

This film is awful on so many levels, but most of all it just doesn't make sense. Like so many modern bad films it relies on advancing the plot by having characters do the stupidest, most brainless things possible. The lead actor might as well be playing someone mentally challenged. Actions take place in this film that are completely unrealistic. At times it seems as if the film makers want to take it in the direction of a dark comedy, but it is never funny. It's starts off kind of slow and boring and then dives right into absurdity. This was so bad , it was painful to watch, especially since they seemed to be going for something heart-warming in the end, but these characters were so bland and so fake , the kind that only exist in bad movies, that you won't care. I didn't care, I just wanted it to end already.

Saw this at a festival featuring Atlantic Canadian films, and in that context, ie rooting for the home team, I found this film to be quite a beautiful poem to specific place - rural PEI. The cinematography is terrific - I felt the pull of the sea and the way of life the main character loves. The film maker lays out a number of great questions - what would you do if you were poor and found bag of money? What's the difference between enforcing the law and maintaining the peace? But the film maker doesn't explore these questions in any depth. Instead it turns into a conventional and cliched crime caper. I agree with the other reviewers that the main character makes way too many dumb decisions for a guy who doesn't seem that dumb, and there are too many contrivances for the sake of moving the pilot along. A missed opportunity - in the hands of a stronger writer this could have been a rich exploration of some compelling questions.

I wanted to like this movie more than I did, but there's just so much dumb by so many people in this movie that you just can't reward it too highly. Honestly, absolute stupidity abounds.

A man who is struggling financially with an expectant wife trolls the beach off rural Canada for seaweed to sell. One night he notices money embedded in one of the piles. He then finds an entire bag of money and decides to keep it. The next day a boat washes up with bloody bills in it. For some reason, he decides to set the boat on fire which brings the attention of the police, who notice money sticking out of the seaweed pile right next to it. Everyone knows who harvests seaweed, so an obvious connection is made. In the meantime, a vicious crook is looking for the money and his friend who had been in the boat. Then the seaweed guy is riding along the beach and finds the body of the friend and his response is to take the body away and bury it! WHY?? At this point pretty much everyone in the movie makes stupid decisions which get people killed and make NO sense and neither does the ending.

Now, had I not been so annoyed by the complete dumpster fire of foolishness that is the script, I'd have given this a much better rating. Because everything else is pretty well done. Great cinematography, most of the acting was well done, pleasing score, good direction. Give it an actual decent script and this would have been a 6 or 7, but I'm afraid the best I can do is a 5. I'd like to see what the director can do with better material.

Earning his money raking kelp from the shores a man finds money, much money. Despite bestest intention he does what - let's be honest - everybody does two weeks after finding a treasure.

The movie provides us an unbelieving look into modern small town life without being dramatising, showing you the unworldly in the middle of the world who hold up labour and value heritage, with some effords at times, but eventually sucessful. A neat afternoon movie.

Pour gagner sa vie en ramassant du varech sur les côtes, un homme trouve de l'argent, beaucoup d'argent. Malgré ses meilleures intentions, il fait ce que - soyons honnêtes - tout le monde fait deux semaines après avoir trouvé un trésor.

Le film nous offre un regard incrédule sur la vie moderne des petites villes, sans dramatiser, en nous montrant les gens du peuple au milieu du monde qui défendent le travail et la valeur du patrimoine, avec quelques efforts parfois, mais qui finissent par réussir. Un bon film d'après-midi.

Every now and then a smart little caper film with intriguing twists and turns pops up out of nowhere to pleasantly surprise its audience. This is definitely NOT that film.

The story has an auspicious start, with a hook that offers promise for a real thrill ride. But it fizzles out quickly, thanks to a dumb script peopled by dumb characters.

Every single character in this movie makes the most idiotic choice in every situation. Apparently the writer-director couldn't think of clever ways to drive the story, so he opted to have them bungle whatever they were doing at every critical turn.

The main character is the biggest moron in the movie. He makes moves so dumb that his story should have ended with his painful demise halfway through the second act. The only thing that kept the story going is that the two villains opposing him are also incredibly stupid.

If you're in the mood for a stupid-fest, there's plenty to feast on here.