CLOONEY & ROBERTS IN MONEY MONSTER

Year: 2016

A sort of 'NETWORK' FOR DUMMIES, this anti-hero is even madder than hell this time, releasing his agenda ten minutes in, where Peter Finch's became apparent during what's called the "King Kong 35-to 45-Minute Mark", not seeing the Ape till our story, situation and characters are already set in...

But in MONEY MONSTER they're one in the same... Sixth Grade Idealism in an Irate Twenty-Something with a gun, bomb vests, and a working-class accent so thick it should pay its own taxes. Meanwhile, George Clooney's Lee Gates gets little time to chew the scenery as the love-to-hate Archie Bunker meets Dancing Jimmy Fallon meets Sean Hannity, running a Cable News Show that does for Wall Street what SESAME STREET did for the Alphabet. By his side, or rather, through the glass is Julia Roberts as logical show director Patty Fenn... both make a fairly effective couple to smooth out the edgy yet awkward, overboard performance of Jack O'Connell's Kyle, not as relatable or endearing a victim as intended (thanks or no thanks to his girlfriend's incredible tantrum!)...

Making Clooney's transition, from irritating rich entertainer to a man of the people, or in this case, person, pay off decently, while his best moments aren't giving in to the "little poor guy's" way of thinking, but eventually seeing eye-to-eye while keeping his devilish charm intact – more an experienced older brother than annoying uncle. That's until the predictable third act: Here's when a collective Bernie Sanders takes down the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man in front of the entire city, right on the New York streets... And surprisingly, this, one of many Anti Wall Street films, sticks to a Thriller Hijack Template, making it stretch beyond a two-hour lecture. And while leaning to one particular side, MONSTER never really names names, providing just about anyone a fairly decent ride.

RATING: **1/2
POP CULTURE: NETWORK is a 1970's film about a TV station where an anchorman goes nuts, and they give him his own show • The Stay Puft Marshmellow Man is a monster at the end of GHOSTBUSTERS • Archie Bunker was a Right Wing Grouch on a classic sit-com called ALL IN THE FAMILY sharing the now-working Sean Hannity of FOX NEWS views and Jimmy Kimmel dances Hip-Hop like Clooney's character • And last but not least, Bernie Sanders is the one person making Hillary Clinton's Presidential Coronation not so easy, reminding college kids she has ties to banks... and Wall Street!