Fool’s Gold
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm (Movies)
Kate & Matthew’s first movie together: How to lose a Guy in 10 days was only saved by their chemistry and how well they played off each other.
This movie didn’t need that to save it this time around but it really showcased it as Kate & Matthew are pitted against each other as a divorcing couple who are both obsessed with finding the wreck of the Aurelia.
I was having so much fun watching the two of them that the finding of the treasure was anticlimactic because that also brought reconciliation between the two leads. The movie’s strength is in the dialogue and interplay between the feuding couple and the others involved.
It’s not a ’smart movie’ but boy is it a fun popcorn movie that you want when you want to smile. Kate & Matthew are definitely the new Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan. The latter even did a movie in the tropics too, Joe vs the Volcano anyone?
Donald Sutherland was also amusing as billionaire father who was trying to build a relationship with his estranged airheaded socialite of a daughter who was just plain stupid as well.
Surprise casting involved Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Theo from The Cosby Show) as a dread locked islander speaking in a Jamaican style accent. He needs to be utilized more. I remember him from Drop Zone too. We should be seeing a lot more of him.
Like someone pointed out in the (measly) extras, I can’t think of any other movie where the male lead gets beaten up so much and repeatedly but never really fights back.
Some of the comedy bits were a little stale but still got a smile from me. The only thing I had a problem with was the sword between the legs bit. It just seemed like an excuse to aim a camera up at the crotch of the daughter. There was nothing funny about it right down to her “oops hahaha” flirty giggle. This is the kind of thing that makes me hate Judd Apatow movies because that’s all they seem to be about, setting up for the next “oh gimme a break” shot.
While their first movie narrowly misses my new much higher mark of “would I buy this”, Fool’s Gold passes muster for enjoyability and rewatchability.