Twenty Bucks

This film was written in 1935 by screenwriter Endre Bohem shortly before his death. He never completed the script. It sat on a shelf in his archives for 55 years. Finally in 1990, his son, Leslie Bohem, found it and immediately fell in love with the concept. He completed the script, updated it for a more modern audience, and filmed it with director Keva Rosenfeld. In the film, a $20 bill is minted and sent to a bank. A mother with her hands full uses an ATM machine, drops the bill in her hassle, and the story begins. The rest of this film follows the bill through the hands of 12 complete strangers who, through various ways, pass the bill to one another. Along the way, the note weaves in and out of the lives of a street person, an aspiring writer, two thieves (a hilarious Steve Bucemi and Christopher Lloyd), and a stripper who also...well, I won't ruin it for you.

However, besides the inventive concept, it is fun to see many of today's brightest stars, when they were just starting out in the industry. Look for such faces as David Schwimmer(NBC's "Friends"), Elisabeth Shue(Leaving Las Vegas), William H. Macy(Fargo, Wag the Dog), Brendan Fraser(The Scout, George of the Jungle), and Steve Bucemi(Reservoir Dogs, The Big Lebowski).

This is a great film to watch with a group of friends. One tip, though. Don't keep pausing the film, or you might lose track of who has the bill.

The variety of stories that surround the 20 bucks makes the movie non-Hollywood. I like the independent, non-Hollywood style of this particular movie with a plot that actually tells something and people who proof that you do not need a gigantic budget to create a refreshing film.

The problem with movies that actually try not to insult your intelligence is that they are totally inaccessible and make you feel like you're sitting at a table in the high school cafeteria with the cool kids . . . they'll let you watch, but you should not be under any illusion that you belong. This is not the case with Twenty Bucks. I caught this one on UPN last Sunday and was amazed. It's a fascinating story of a $20 bill's journey in and out of the lives of people to whom it changes hands. Sometimes it's only there for a moment, sometimes it's there for days, sometimes it doesn't go where you might think it would go, but it's always an interesting story. This is a wonderful anthology film that manages to introduce many characters and get you brought up to speed on their lives in a brief period of time. And check out those credits! You know who these actors are, and it's obvious that no one was letting their ego get in the way of telling the story. It's a wonderful, lovingly crafted movie that is well worth your time to see.

I caught this on cable a few years back and was immediately intrigued. If you've ever wondered where your money has been, this movie will leave you a little more enlightened...and frightened! From the G-string of a stripper at a Bachelor's party to the hands of a ten year old in a fishing contest to the frantic hands of a homeless woman with Lottery winnings in mind - this bill's journey is surprising and hilarious. The stories around the main idea abound and are far from dull. Christopher Lloyd and Steve Buscemi's scenes are, in my opinion, the highlight of this film. I've never understood why this movie is so wildly underrated. I've never come across any acquaintance that has seen it when I ask. If you get the chance, watch it, you won't be disappointed.

If you ever decide to doubt the power that one incredible idea can do for a movie, you have desperately got to see this! Twenty Bucks is one of the most creative ideas ever made into a movie and will definitely earn a few laughs for the writing alone. While there is no one main character here, the story revolves around a twenty dollar bill. The movie opens as the money enters circulation, and ends when it is mangled and ready to be burned. The life of the money is the story of the movie, and it's just delightful! As it changes hands from one person to the next, it has a profound impact on some people, and no impact on others. At times, it appears that it is a good luck charm, and at others a curse sent from God. Steve Buscemi, Brendan Fraser, Gladys Knight, Elizabeth Shue, Christopher Lloyd, and William H. Macy all get their hands on the money, and there are several others as well.

Apparently, this screenplay was written several years ago by Andre Bohem and nothing was ever done with it. After quite a long period of time, Andre's son Leslie got ahold of the script and modernized it a bit, and the end result is magnificent! While there aren't any acting performances here that are going to melt your hearts, each star is really enjoyable to watch in one way or another. The casting director did a fantastic job of lining up so many recognizable faces, and I found it hilarious that the stripper at the bachelor party (Melora Walters), also played the funeral director near the end of the movie! I knew I had seen her face somewhere before and couldn't see it until I saw the credits. When I realized they were the same person, I busted out laughing, and yet was still able to see the incredible irony of the whole situation.

If you are watching this because you like one of the actors, then you very well could be disappointed by what you see. No one of the actors here has a tremendous amount of screen time, but all are quite good to watch. If you just want to see something different than the normal hollywood crap, then this is absolutely perfect!