Very Cool!!!

Memorable, crazy movie

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

With a title of "Funny Money" you ought to be able to work out that this is a film that doesn't take itself seriously ... and neither should you. If it helps, forget the fact that Chevy Chase is playing the lead - lots of big actors play low budget films anyway. There are many belly-laughter moments amongst the amused grins. Just don't be expecting a different kind of film based on your experience of contemporary comedy films, e.g. gross-out humour. This film may be low budget, but it is NOT SLAPSTICK. It is FARCE. That means that the humour predominately lies in lots of things happening very quickly continually upsetting the current situation. The beginning of the film is probably the worst part but is necessary to set up the premise for the rest of the story. So basically, stick with it to when it gets to the main act. Overview: a frivolous, fun and funny 97 minutes.

We picked this DVD out of a stack one Saturday afternoon and dropped it in, not expecting much. The movie starts slow, with about a half-hour of exposition. It really kicks into gear when the action moves to the apartment of the two leads (Chase and Miller).The movie works like a play, with most of the action confined to this apartment. Characters come and go, and interact with each other. This is not a subtle or ironic comedy, but rather most of the gags are coarse and blunt. Some are also repeated a number of times.This may not be your cup of tea, but for me, on that afternoon, it was just what I was in the mood to see. I laughed out loud and was sad when the movie started to wrap up.

"Funny Money" is trying to be a slapstick farce, that style of comedy based on misunderstandings and incredible coincidences that put the characters into increasingly ridiculous predicaments as the story progresses. Farcical films are usually based on farcical plays. This kind of comedy is really, really difficult to pull off on the stage, and near impossible to get right on film. Blake Edwards got it about right in films like "A Shot in the Dark" and Peter Bogdonavich's adaptation of "Noises Off" wasn't bad. But the list of farce films that work is very short. Not only must the writing and performances be 100% right on the money, as they do on the stage, but the visual pacing, shooting style and editing also have to be 100% right. If any one of those things is off, the film goes on another list--the "totally sucks" list. And this film,"Funny Money," also based upon a stage play, has to be at the top of that totally sucks list. It fails on every count imaginable and is one of the most painful attempts at this kind of humor I've ever sat through. I'd like to say that a better, more experienced filmmaker could have made this better, but I have suspicions that the original play it was based upon sucked as well (based upon the incredible depths of suckage this thing reaches).

Well I can honestly say that this is one of the first Chevy Chase movies I haven't actually laughed at...... at least not in a good sense!! With it's predictable plot, un-funny slapstick type humour and lack of depth, this movie drones along to leave the viewer watching the clock on the DVD player anxiously awaiting 1 hour and 29 minutes to be up! Chevy Chase and the rest of the cast tried very hard, I've been a big fan of Chevy Chase all my life, and must say that I feel sorry for him being subjected to acting in this movie, guess times are desperate for him.Anyway, Die hard Chevy Chase fans will wanna check this one out regardless but don't get ur hopes up for anything special, I was hoping for a kinda " Rat Race" feel to the movie, instead I smelt a dirty rat.