Movie Review - Fool's Gold
Movie Review - Fool's Gold
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, and Alexis Dziena. Directed by Andy Tennant.
Rated PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity, and language. 113 Minute Run Time.
Let me start this review by explaining a few things you have to do before watching Fool's Gold. First, forget that things have to make sense in the movie world. Second, get a big bucket of popcorn and extremely large drink. Third, take off your shirt. Okay, well, you don't have to take off your shirt, but the trick to this flick is to relax and have a good time.
Fool's Gold is based on the premise that two young treasure hunters meet, fall in love, marry, spend many years searching for a specific buried treasure off the Florida coast and then get so frustrated at each other that they split. Matthew McConaughey's character continues to search for the treasure as Kate Hudson's character takes up jobs to try to fund an eventual move to Chicago. The duo get divorced officially and then somehow manage to end up on the same boat with a millionaire and his daughter. They tell the two of the treasure that they seek and after a night, everyone decides to seek the treasure. Meanwhile, McConaughey's character has been in trouble with other treasure hunters and they are all fighting to find the treasure first.
It's quite the ride to watch and genuinely entertaining. The only sad part is the movie doesn't try to be somewhat more than the popcorn flick that it is. That could be considered a refreshing change as well. Sometimes, its good to sit back and just take the movie for what it is. There's really no reason to ask questions about why, when, or how as it is all made up anyway. Just go with what the movie presents and you'll have a good time. If you try to analyze it, I could sit down with you and we'd fill pages with errors in the story and facts. But what fun is that?
I have mentioned that the story has holes, but we are going to concentrate on some of the most enjoyable parts of this action-adventure comedy. First, the adventure is non-stop. There is hardly a dull moment in the film as it continues to barrel ahead on its wacky storyline and plots. Second, there are some mildly funny bits scattered about, but there are at least 2-3 really good laughs to be had. Third, Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey are both accomplished actors/actresses that know how to play a role convincingly and are both extremely likable on screen. Fourth, the ladies will enjoy the shirtless wonder Matthew McConaughey. It seems like he forgets to wear a shirt 75% of the movie. For the guys, you have Kate Hudson and Alexis Dziena.
It seems fit to point out a few flaws. My favorite two are linked. When the main four characters sit down and the entire treasure hunting story comes out, the two explaining it, do a lot of 'guessing' as to where the treasure is. Eventually, they concede that they base the entire search area on the idea that the person who was in charge of the treasure was lying about what happened the entire time. Then, when a storm hits and the crew of the boat decide to take it to a different side of the island that they have been searching, it dawns on them that the ship carrying the treasure would have tried the same thing to get out of the storm that sunk it. This leaves the millionaire to say my second favorite flaw that basically points out the first flaw, "Your entire treasure hunt is based on the guess that one man was lying about everything." This still doesn't explain why they got to this island in the first place, but as I said, if you just take what the story gives you and don't second guess the hunt, then you'll get wrapped up in it and won't mind a few errors.
Fool's Gold is the best of popcorn flicks in that it doesn't take itself seriously, it gives you great visuals, decent action/adventure, some memorable laughs, and two lead actors/actresses that command the screen with ease and perfection while constantly reaffirming the fact that you could be friends with these people. Not only that, Hudson and McConaughey are a good on screen duo and will undoubtedly find a way to work opposite each other again.
I obviously have mixed feelings on the movie as I really enjoyed it once I stopped trying to make sense of it all. I highly recommend the flick to get lost in and have a good time with as it plays like a action packed vacation and who could argue with a good vacation? But, if you tend to like your movies more serious or you tend to shy away from movies that just want to entertain you for a few minutes, then you probably should stay away.
Fool's Gold is playing at Cinema 3 in McCook. Check www.fridleytheatres.com for showtimes for this and other movies.