Money for Nothing (1993)

An unemployed man finds a money bag of $1.2 million after it dropped off an armored car.

Director:

Ramón Menéndez

Writers:

Mark Bowden (article), Ramón Menéndez (screenplay)

Stars:

John Cusack, Debi Mazar, Michael Madsen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cusack	...	Joey Coyle
Debi Mazar	...	Monica Russo
Michael Madsen	...	Detective Laurenzi
Benicio Del Toro	...	Dino Palladino
Michael Rapaport	...	Kenny Kozlowski
Maury Chaykin	...	Vincente Goldoni
James Gandolfini	...	Billy Coyle
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Mrs. Coyle
Elizabeth Bracco	...	Eleanor Coyle
Ashleigh Dejon	...	Katie Coyle
Lenny Venito	...	Hrbek
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Cochran (as Philip S. Hoffman)
Currie Graham	...	Dunleavy
Frankie Faison	...	Madigan
Ed Pansullo	...	Carini

Storyline

When unemployed dockworker Joey Coyle finds $1.2 million that fell off of an armored car, he decides to do the logical thing: take the money and run. After all, he says, finders keepers. He turns to his ex-girlfriend Monica, who works in an investment firm, for advice, before turning to the mob for help laundering the money. While Joey makes plans to leave the country, however, a detective is following his ever-warmer trail in order to recover the cash.

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Plot Keywords:

money | detective | finders keepers | dockworker | suitcase of money | 

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Taglines:

What would you do if you found a million bucks?

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Joey Coyle Story

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$491,206, 12 September 1993

Gross USA:

$1,039,824

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,039,824

Company Credits

Production Co:

Permut Presentations, Hollywood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Gandolfini and Joseph R. Gannascoli both starred in The Sopranos.

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Goofs

When Joey and Kenny are in Kenny's car arguing after finding the money, just before Joey exits the car, he holds up his bare right hand. Seconds later, Joey is getting out of the car with the sacks in his arms and he's wearing gloves.

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Quotes

[about the money]
Joey Coyle: Think about it Kenny. Did we hurt anyone?
Kenny Kozlowski: No.
Joey Coyle: Did we steal it from anyone?
Kenny Kozlowski: No.
Joey Coyle: Are we giving it back. *Hell no!*

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Connections

Referenced in Naked Movie (2002)

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Soundtracks

Dreamin'
Written by Angie Rubin and Shelley Speck
Performed by N'Dea Davenport

User Reviews

Is It Really A Comedy, Or Is It A Drama? I Think The Latter

Oddly, this movie is billed as a comedy but I think it was more of a drama and, coincidentally, since it was a mixed mag, so is the lead actor in here: John Cusack. He is acceptable, but nothing super. Cusack plays an ordinary guy, "Joey Coyle," who accidentally finds a million dollars and then tries to keep it. Supposedly, it's a true story (or at least based on one.) What happens to Joey and his million bucks (which had fallen out of an armored car) is not a story of joy and happiness. That's justice, since the honorable thing would have been to turn the money in, to where it belongs, so there are moral lessons taught in this story. What happens - a mixture of drama, comedy plus action and suspense - was pretty entertaining to watch. I wouldn't call this a "keeper," meaning a movie to buy and add to one's collection, but it's worth a rental, especially if you enjoy watching Cusack perform. I have found him to be a consistent actor. In dramas, I think Cusack can be outstanding ("The Grifters," "Eight Men Out," "Identity," etc.) but in comedies, he stinks ("Bullets Over Broadway," "The Road To Wellville," "Grosse Pointe Blank," etc.) Also, the rest of the cast includes some real characters, many of them out of a mob movie: actors like James Gandofini, Elizabeth Bracco, Debi Mazur, Michael Rapaport, Michael Madsen, Benicio Del Toro, Maury Chaykin and Philip Seymour Hoffman - not exactly the kind of actors you'll see in a light, sweet comedy! Halfway through this film I wondered if the writers knew where they were going with the story. I'm not sure they knew, but at least it entertains.