What would you do for those who discovered one million {dollars}? That’s the scenario John Cusack’s character Joey Coyle should take care of within the 1993 movie Money for Nothing.
The Plot
Joey Coyle is down on his luck and struggling to seek out work. Though his brother Billy oversees job assignments on the dock, Joey simply doesn’t have any luck. Down on his luck, and uncertain of his future, Joey finds over one million {dollars} on a distant highway. Perhaps in the present day is his fortunate day.
Unwilling to show the cash in, Joey is scrambling to determine what to do with the money. Turning to a neighborhood thug named Dino, and a gangster named Vincente, Joey tries to get the cash laundered solely to be double crossed.
Attempting to flee from Philadelphia along with his girlfriend Monica, Joey is stopped on the airport by Detective Laurenzi. Arrested for his escapades on the doorstep of freedom, Joey is led off to jail seeing if he’ll be capable of keep away from jail.
The Good
The supporting characters are nice, from Michael Rapaport as Kenny, in addition to seeing a younger Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Cochran. Cash for Nothing has a gifted supporting solid which supplies life to those minor characters as a result of they add a lot to the movie.
James Gandolfini as Billy Coyle is ideal casting. He embodies the dominant older brother, however on the similar time an understanding caring sibling, who when the chips are down, helps his youthful brother Joey when he wants it essentially the most.
Detective Laurenzi by no means will get a lot time to shine, however when he’s on display, Michael Madsen helps us care about this character. Laurenzi could be simply forgettable had been it not for Madsen.
The Dangerous and the Ugly
Joey Coyle shouldn’t be a likable character. It’s laborious to root for him and I needed him to get caught instantly. The issue is that we don’t get sufficient time to get to know Joey earlier than the cash. Since we meet Joey and he finds the cash rapidly, the viewers is rarely sure as to why it’s proper for him to maintain his on the spot fortune.
John Cusack is a gifted actor however he by no means will get the possibility to point out us the depth of Coyle earlier than the money turns into the main target of his life. Cusack is a compelling lead, nevertheless it’s laborious to take care of Joey even with a terrific actor within the lead function.
Debi Mazar doesn’t get sufficient display time for us to care about Monica. She may be very one dimensional. Initially she appears to be the other of Joey however like many tropes in a narrative, she modifies her thoughts and will get again along with Joey due to the cash. Monica may have been the character that broke the mould of stereotypical paramours. As a substitute, she joins a listing of many movie love pursuits who’re one notice characters.
Past the Movie Info
- The film was based mostly on the true story of Joey Coyle who discovered the $1.2 million in 1981.
- Though the film depicts Joey dwelling along with his brother, Joey didn’t in actual life. He apparently did crash by the ceiling within the household house in actual life, which makes the scene within the movie extra fascinating and painful to look at.
- Apparently, there was no Monica in the true story of Joey Coyle.
- The story the movie is customized from comes from an article by Mark Bowden, the writer of Black Hawk Down.
- The actual Joey Coyle battled a drug dependancy and died by suicide in 1993.
- Coyle’s loss of life nice affected the advertising of the movie. Disney reportedly launched the movie with minimal promotion.
- Criticism of the movie largely focuses on how the film omitted Coyle’s drug abuse and melancholy. This is able to have added a whole lot of depth to the character and helped to rationalize his pondering course of.
- The vital response was lower than enthusiastic. The film would go on to be an enormous field workplace disappointment.
The Streamy Award
{The next 4 classes are based mostly on a Movie Reel scale.
1 Reel-Bored and Killing Time, 2 Reels-When You Have Some Time, 3 Reels-Make Some Time, 4 Reels-Huge Display Occasion}
Cash for Nothing isn’t a nasty film, nevertheless it’s not a terrific film both. There may be unbelievable potential within the story. What would it not be like for somebody who has nothing, to return throughout a lot cash? That’s what the movie tries to point out us, however by no means follows by.
The solid is immensely gifted, with John Cusack making an attempt to convey humanity to the face of Joey Coyle. The issue is that almost all viewers received’t care sufficient to root for Joey’s success.
Money for Nothing will get a 1 Reel score. If in case you have nothing to do, then take a look at this little-seen movie from the Disney vault. However, if in case you have different vital issues to do, then you aren’t lacking something for those who by no means see this movie.
Forged and Crew
- John Cusack as Joey Coyle
- Debi Mazar as Monica Russo
- James Gandolfini as Billy Coyle
- Benicio Del Toro as Dino Pallidino
- Maury Chaykin as Vincente Goldoni
- Michael Madsen as Detective Laurenzi
- Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Cochran
- Michael Rapaport as Kenny
Directed by Ramon Menendez
Produced by Hollywood Photos / Permut Displays
Launch Date: September 10, 1993
Price range: $11 million
Field Workplace Gross
Home: $1,039,824
Coming Quickly
Subsequent week, a take a look at the 1995 Laurence Fishburne thriller, Dangerous Firm.
