Money for Nothing

I have always been a big John Cusack fan and out of all the movies he's made I think that MONEY FOR NOTHING is his best one. It's smart, funny, intense, and has great performances from John Cusack and Debi Mazar. It may not be the best movie in history, but at least it will keep you entertained for a few hours.

In Philadelphia, Joey Coyle (John Cusack) can't even get a day's work at the docks from his brother Billy (James Gandolfini). While Kenny Kozlowski (Michael Rapaport) is driving him home, they find $1.2 million that fell off of an armored truck bound for Trump's casino. Kenny refuses to take any of the money. Joey asks his ex-girlfriend Monica Russo (Debi Mazar) who works in investments to help. He goes to bookie Dino Palladino (Benicio Del Toro) who takes him to Vincente Goldoni (Maury Chaykin) to launder the money. Detective Laurenzi (Michael Madsen) is investigating the case.

John Cusack is not dumb enough for this to be funny. This character is an idiot. He can't even do basic math under duress. I've never bought Cusack playing an idiot. It would work better if Joey is played by a comedian who does stupid well. Don't get me wrong. I like Cusack and I like this movie ... to some extent. Joey is such an idiot that it would be a great black comedy if the movie is cast right.

Joey Coyle (John Cusak) is a young man of twenty-six years old and without any perspective in life: unemployed, with basic level of instruction only. Living with his brother's family and his mother. One day, when he is coming back home with his friend Kenny Kozlowski (Michael Rapaport) after not being hired to work in the dock, he finds 1.2 million dollars that felt from an armored car. He decides to keep the money, and this is the beginning of a series of stupidities, in a true story. Being a simple man, Joey has no malicious and does not know how to handle with such amount of illegal money. This movie alternates action, comedy and drama and entertains. The cast is great. My vote is seven.

John Cusack plays Joey Coyle, an unemployed man from Philadelphia who decided to try and keep a bundle of money which accidentally fell off an armored truck...one million dollars to be exact! The story, albeit true, isn't cinematically original but did have some fresh possibilities. Unfortunately, the handling here is colorless and one-dimensional, and the film is saddled with a flat conclusion. Cusack does all right, but too many of the secondary characters are saintly and rather unbelievable. The movie's chummy tone also proved to be a false front, as the life of the real Joey Coyle came to a sad, tragic end. ** from ****

This movie is based on the true story of Joey Coyle who found some money lost by a bank and tried to keep it. It is very realistic and the cast includes lots of familiar names like John Cussak, Philip Seymore Hoffman, Benicio Del Toro and Michael Madson, all giving convincing performance. For me it should be rated about 7.2.