Breaking the Bank

I suspect all the negative reviews are by those who simply can't appreciate or comprehend how the city and its traders operate - and machinations of the goings on as exemplified this movie. This movie shows the city workings pretty well... albeit with some exaggeration. It was clever and it was quite believable... it showed exactly how companies prosper and fail because those that hold the stock, whether owners or short term traders can make or break a company.

A glance at the cast list of Breaking the Bank raises expectations. There's a huge amount of comic talent here, but good actors need a good script, and they don't have one. Plot and characterisation are hackneyed. Pearce Quigley's turn as a wise homeless man is a particularly unwelcome cliche, and Mathew Horne's investment banker is as one-note as an electric drill. If Vadim Jean wanted to make a comedy that exposed the absurdity and irresponsibility that led to to financial crisis of 2008, there was merit in the idea and a big target to aim at. Unfortunately he missed it by a mile. Good actors are often reduced to trotting out well-worn one-liners that might have come straight from a Google search for jokes for a best man to make at a wedding. Just as disappointingly, the expositional dialogue designed to show us the workings of the financial world sounds as if it was lifted from Wikipedia. Vadim Jean remains a talented director but on this evidence he's lost his ear for dialogue. Three stars for a cast that work hard and do their best with terrible material.

Wasn't nearly as clever or funny or fun as say trading places. No real message or theme. But it was dumb cute fun with good actors. Automatic 6. Only not giving it higher cuz it wasn't very funny and nothing happened that was especially memorable But worth a watch just cuz. Love Kelsey grammar and his British wife from episodes. She's just hilarious and Fun always.

Nothing profound, not deep, just fun to watch, and had the Director mixed the sound better, would have been more fun. But they allow the music to play so loudly over the voices in too many people, that you miss what was said and it is more than annoying! Dialog should not be competing with music people! Please stop it. We should not have to struggle to understand what has been said. What is the point?

It is fun, that's all. If you really try to critique it, it becomes more work than watching it. It's primary value is to counter the dread of the daily news, and it does that well.

Fun mix of sentiment, comedy, and social commentary.

Very fun actors.

Sadly went with trendy overly-obvious innuendo rather than being classy. Definitely not PG.

Beautiful views of London.

Great one-liners.