Mad Money (2008)

23% of critics liked it
(105 reviews)
52% of users liked it
(133,657 ratings)

A woman who was used to the finer things in life is suddenly thrust back into the work force after her husband gets downsized in writer/director Callie Khouri's (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood) American adaptation of the hit British comedy Hot Money. Faced with the prospect of losing her… More A woman who was used to the finer things in life is suddenly thrust back into the work force after her husband gets downsized in writer/director Callie Khouri's (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood) American adaptation of the hit British comedy Hot Money. Faced with the prospect of losing her home as her debt begins to mount, posh housewife Bridget (Diane Keaton) accepts a job on the midnight cleaning crew at a local branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. When the growing temptation of the cash that surrounds her night after night ultimately proves too powerful to resist, Bridget teams with two of the other cleaners for a criminal exercise in creative moneymaking. Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes co-star in a crime comedy inspired by actual events. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Callie Khouri
Written By: Glenn Gers
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 18, 2008 Wide
On DVD: May 13, 2008
Studio: Overture Films

Critic Reviews

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
There's an old saying: 'I wrote you a long letter because I didn't have time to write a short one.' In the case of Mad Money, I'll write a short review because the movie won't sustain a long one. (It barely sustains itself.)
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
It's better than I expected it to be.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
This movie is designed to be fun, and its intentions are signaled to us over and over again, as when the women jump around on a bed, giggling and flinging old, dirty money around in a wanton display of pure idiocy.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
Speaking of recycling, this script by Glenn Gers reeks of it and not in a healthy, eco-minded way.
Claudia Puig, USA Today
Moviegoers will come up empty.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
It's not that much fun.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
A madcap heist movie with a delectable cast who realise that while money can't buy happiness, it sure as hell can buy everything else.
Mike Goodridge, Screen International
Keaton, Latifah and Holmes have appealing chemistry, although it's not enough to sustain a too-long 104 minute running time.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
If you're thinking that there's not much point in rooting for these ballsy babes all the way because in the end crime doesn't pay, think again, sorta. Because even after they're caught, the fun is really just beginning.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Provided you can get past its improbable premise, this madcap crime caper's trio of talented leading ladies manage to provide enough moments of mirth to make the rest of this raucous romp worthwhile.
Kam Williams, Sly Fox
Who knew ripping off the Federal Reserve could be so much fun?
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
If you're thinking that there's not much point in rooting for these ballsy babes all the way because in the end crime doesn't pay, think again, sorta. Because even after they're caught, the fun is really just beginning.
Alonso Duralde, MSNBC
[T]he gap between [Thelma & Louise] and Mad Money resembles the abyss that Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis drove into in Khouri's earlier hit.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Khouri parece ter deixado no passado qualquer interesse em criar personagens tridimensionais ou minimamente interessantes.
Jeff Bayer, Daily Herald (IL)
Comedy is difficult, but it seems like Mad Money didn't even try. It's very hard to find the jokes.
Tricia Olszewski, Let's Not Listen
Keaton and Latifah lend enough intelligence, wit, and charm to their characters that Mad Money often feels like an ovarian Ocean's Eleven.
Linda Cook, Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)
'Mad Money' really isn't worth yours.
Joseph Proimakis, Movies for the Masses
den einai toso kaki oso tha se boleye gia na glitoseis ti moyrmoyra an brethei omofyli ton protagonistrion na se faei na to deite (prosferetai gia ypohoriseis diladi)

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dead A

It's very engaging (if you know what I mean). I couldn't take my attention off (you know those tiny breaks you take during movie). Nice.
Manu G

Pretty good and smart. The film begins close to the end of the story, when the suspects get caught and are interrogated. Then it flashes back to three years earlier and the film proceeds forward from there interspersed with occasional bits from the interrogation. Three years before… More
Pretty good and smart. The film begins close to the end of the story, when the suspects get caught and are interrogated. Then it flashes back to three years earlier and the film proceeds forward from there interspersed with occasional bits from the interrogation. Three years before getting caught, Bridget (Diane Keaton) lived a comfortable upper class life until her husband Don (Ted Danson) was fired from his position and sunk into debt. The paycheck for Selina, the cleaning lady, bounces again. Selina confronts Bridget and suggests she take a job as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. On her first day on the job, Bridget hatches a scheme to steal damaged dollar bills slated for destruction. For her team she chooses Nina (Queen Latifah), who works the dollar bill shredder, and Jackie (Katie Holmes), who takes bill carts from the Secret Service room to the shredding room. It takes some work to convince Nina to join, but Jackie joins them quickly. The plan is that in the Secret Service room Bridget will switch a cart's official Master-brand lock with a near identical lock she purchased at Home Depot. Bridget will tell Jackie the cart number and give Nina the official lock. When Jackie gets the chosen cart, she dumps some bills from the cart into a trash can before taking the cart to Nina, who then uses Bridget's key to open it and restores the official lock, and then proceeds to shred the remaining bills. Meanwhile, Bridget, in the course of her janitorial duties, retrieves the dumped bills from the trash and splits them among Nina and Jackie in the women's restroom. Their first robbery is a success though the take is not as big as they had hoped. However, they're emboldened to do it again and again. Once Don and Bridget pay off their debt, Don suggests they stop before they get caught. Bridget rejects this idea and convinces Nina and Jackie to keep going. They almost get caught but they fold in one of the cops. A Federal Bank Examiner shows up at a party at Bridget's house, and the next day Bridget sees him at work. The Examiner confronts Glover (Stephen Root), who is unwilling to admit anyone has stolen a single bill out of his bank as a matter of professional pride. Tipped off, that night Bridget and her accomplices begin trying to get rid of all the loot stashed in their houses, but the cops move in before all the evidence is destroyed. Bridget escapes but the others get caught. Bridget hires a tax attorney to defend them. The lawyer gets Bridget and all her accomplices off the hook for their crimes. However, the IRS demands they pay their taxes, which turn out to be equal in amount to the money that remains. They walk away free but penniless. Eight months later, Bridget reveals to Nina and Jackie that she had stashed away a lot of the stolen money in the basement of a friend's bar.
Dean M

I thought it was cute. Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes were absolutely adorable together and had great chemistry. They made the story an Ocean's Eleven for the girls, sounds like such a chick flick, but I think this is one that most could actually… More
I thought it was cute. Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes were absolutely adorable together and had great chemistry. They made the story an Ocean's Eleven for the girls, sounds like such a chick flick, but I think this is one that most could actually enjoy.
Nicki M

I was surprised I could actually sit through this one, it looked so bad! Actually, it was a decent enough movie. I don't think I'd watch it again, but I enjoyed watching it once. All three of the actresses in this manage to lift it above what it actually is.
Jennifer X

Perfectly palatable as long as you don't expect it to make complete sense. I never understood why everybody hates Katie Holmes so much, and Queen Latifah is a decent actress. It's really just Diane Keaton I have a problem with; she seriously can't act sans Woody Allen.
Leigh R

Funny and adorable.
Lanning :

With a very heavy heart, I removed Diane Keaton from my favorite actors list about six months ago. It's been a long time, after all, since the glory days of Annie Hall and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. After suffering through Mad… More
With a very heavy heart, I removed Diane Keaton from my favorite actors list about six months ago. It's been a long time, after all, since the glory days of Annie Hall and Looking for Mr. Goodbar. After suffering through Mad Money, my heart is a little lighter, my decision to drop her even more justifiably confirmed, although I'm definitely saddened by the way her career has gone. Based on a true story . . . I live in hope that criminals like these will actually serve hard time in the near future. Atrocious acting and a stupid storyline -- true or not -- with a very hard ending to take, especially if you believe in things like the law.Why did I add this to my queue? For sure it was not because Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah, or Ted Danson tempted me to watch it. I guess I hadn't given up all hope for Keaton. But now I have.
Mason W

What a good cast; Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Ted Danson, and Katie Holmes. A upper middle class wife Bridget (Keaton)is in the middle of a crisis....she will be facing loosing her dream home, and everything else. Bridget is then forced to take any job with benefits that lands… More
What a good cast; Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Ted Danson, and Katie Holmes. A upper middle class wife Bridget (Keaton)is in the middle of a crisis....she will be facing loosing her dream home, and everything else. Bridget is then forced to take any job with benefits that lands her in a Federal Bank Reserve. While working at this Reserve Bridget meets two other eployess...one a single mother (Latifah) and another self medicated free spirit (Holmes). Bridget with the other ladies come up with a plan to steal money that will be no longer in ciruclation and destroyed. They then are rolling in the $$$$...this movie ended being better than I thought...not great but still a good movie to watch non the less.
Cassie H

Hillarious. It had great actors in it too!!!
moon r

to make up for wastin' $10 to see "cloverfield" i snuck across the hall and that's about the only way you could've got me to endure this caper flick for the ladies. yeah, they're bank robbers, ok, but they're NICE bank robbers. diane keaton, juicy… More
to make up for wastin' $10 to see "cloverfield" i snuck across the hall and that's about the only way you could've got me to endure this caper flick for the ladies. yeah, they're bank robbers, ok, but they're NICE bank robbers. diane keaton, juicy heartthrob of my misspent youth in those woody allen classics shows that it's possible to age gracefully and still be sexy---you go girl! queen latifah furthur legitimizes her "insider" status, which ain't necessarily a good thing. ms. holmes works to dig out from onus of a bad life-partner choice...and regrettably fails...she needs a good script and the right director (doh!) to shine. and nearly stealing the movie: senor ted "cheers" danson, who brings style and class to these silly proceedings.
Fascade F

Light comedy...lotsa laughs...good to consider viewing....as a dvd rental.
Deb S

Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes play three struggling women, who all work at a bank and plot to steal money that is about to be destroyed. Overall this film is pretty fun and certainly entertaining for most of the time.
Yinalí R

Absolutely loved this movie. Shows a lot of truths in people's lives. And there may be some fake things, but still it's worth seeing.
William G

Dopey caper ideal for a CBS Sunday Night Movie of the Week slot.
m h

It was ok. The premise was a tad silly at times. I mean the fact they can steal that easily from a bank, and then the ending, they all get off that easy too? I mean really? I mean that's where the movie loses me. That's when I start thinking "What a stupid movie".… More
It was ok. The premise was a tad silly at times. I mean the fact they can steal that easily from a bank, and then the ending, they all get off that easy too? I mean really? I mean that's where the movie loses me. That's when I start thinking "What a stupid movie". But otherwise, pretty entertaining. Surprisingly I liked Katie Holmes. Thought she was a bit of a scene stealer. And I liked the rest of the cast as well. I think this flick might be good for a night out with the girls, beause it's light and fluffy in that way. But I don't think I will buying this movie anytime soon.
Angela A

Well, it was an easy way to kill a couple of hours. Entirely predictable and not very exciting.
Juli R

It's like a remake of Oceans 11, except it's not very good. There's no suspense in the plot. It's all too predictable. Keaton, Latifah, and Holmes are better than this. Wait, was that Ted Danson?
John M

Enjoyable movie even with all it's flaws.
Erin C

This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, considering I don't like half the cast. It was actually pretty entertaining.
Lee K

This was pretty good for a chick flick. Great cast and Katie Holmes is always so soo cute. Intriguing storyline that keeps you posted till the end.