Lee Gates is the host of show Money Monster which takes a look at the latest financial news (and jokes about) but everyone is about to have a crazy night when an investor who has lost everything takes Lee and rest of the studio hostage!
The man taking Lee hostage is Kyle Budwell who certainly made it a very easy task of getting behind the scenes onto the set of the show. Easily walking past security carrying two boxes and being able to get himself seen on live TV wanting answers. Oh he has a gun as well as a bomb for Lee to wear!
The tension from start to finish is very impressive and really has you on the edge of your seat. Creating an incredible atmosphere and wondering what is going to happen next. It is all done in “real” time and I think that adds to the suspense and creates a better film in all honesty. All of the phone calls and the police response to the incident.
It offers good character development as we slowly find out about Kyle and why exactly he has decided to take Lee hostage and partly blames him for the mess he has now found himself in. We get to know about Lee and realize that he is not actually the man he appears to be when putting on his show. His relationship with his producer Patty who he can communicate with throughout really is good, maybe a little biased with it being Clooney and Roberts in those roles but because they have been in films together in the past they still have good chemistry with one another. Even if they don’t actually appear on screen in many scenes.
While they are all fighting to survive in the studio it also leads to come investigation into the company Ibis and CEO Walt Camby to find out how exactly the company managed to lose $800 million. They claim a computer glitch but that just does not seem right. This leads to a much deeper plot as Patty is using her contacts to find the answers. But will it all manage to come out in time or will it be too late?
Kyle has taken a very drastic approach and just wants to know how his money has now gone after what was claimed to be the safest possible investment. As it unfolds we find out how it was a big gamble with all the money he had. Will he manage to get all of the answers he wants or will it be too late? A big twist at the end really does make you think and wonder and I certainly did not see it coming at all.
The cast all come together really well and the camera work which is all supposed to be from the TV show really adds to the atmosphere. I thought Clooney and O’Connell really did have good presence together and became a good pair with some fantastic exchanges. I did not realize before seeing the film that it was going for the real time approach and I certainly think that raises the intensity and was such a great way to keep the film moving and together. What would really have to happen in that kind of situation? We were certainly shown some of the things. The film also managed to have some funny moments at times as well which took the edge off a little bit.