Money

In one word: "Wonderful"!

This motion picture had me engaged from start to end. The twists and turns in the plots keeps one guessing constantly as to what might come next. I often find film plots predictable and easy to figure out. Not "Money". Each action by one of the characters had me shifting where things may go next. The characters were very believable and properly cast for.

The fact that most of the film was set on one site was genius. The viewer of the film feels "captive" in the home/patio along with the two couples being terrorized by the surprise visitor.

The ending, which takes place in a much more urban setting, was totally unexpected, but welcome. A great surprise to cap the end of a very engaging film.

Looking forward to viewing this film a second time.

After directing "Voice Over" one of the most successful and spectacular shorts of the last years with more than 100 awards, Martin Rosete directs his first feature film, "Money." The short is fantastic so the expectations for "Money" were pretty high and I wasn't disappointed.

The movie has an impressive cast that includes Jamie Bamber, Kellan Lutz, Jesse Williams and Jess Weixler. I thought they were all pretty great, specially Jamie Bamber and Jesse Williams. The film's limitations in terms of budget and location are not a handicap but an asset. Its clever dialogue and unexpected twists kept me guessing at the edge of my sit for an hour and a half.

If you are a fan of cat-and-mouse thrillers, "Money" is definitely for you.

There is not an extra word or an extra shot in Money. Everything is brilliantly calculated to take the audience on a smooth ride. There are no explosions or fireworks in here. It's all about humans making choices and making mistakes based on their darkest ambitions. I enjoyed very much the performances and how the script can flip the circumstances upside down in just a second. There is some kind of seductive coldness in this film. It didn't make me care particularly for any of the characters. Instead I was fascinated watching their actions and decisions. The film kept me intrigued until the very end. The premise is simple yet the unfolding is quite elegant and believable. I recommend this film to anyone that likes smart thrillers that rely on human psychology.

Not that this is a bad film. But there are number of things that are somewhat annoying: too much dialog, characters and situations that aren't really believable and a story that is somewhat predictable. Settings are OK, director tries to give a visual touch but the film smells to much like a stage play. But hey, the actors are OK and the story is still strong enough to keep your attention. All by all a film that is easy to see but also easy to forget.

"MONEY" is a well-made, really exciting thriller that stays interesting despite the limited locations. This is one of those movies that I trilled I got to see as part of the closing night film at the Big Apple Film Festival in NY (where it ended up winning Best Film). The premise is pretty simple. Two guys (Kellan Lutz and Jesse Williams) and their significant others (Jess Weixler and Lucia Guerrero) are having dinner at their home in the Hamptons when Jamie Bamber shows up and the twists begin.

There are many smart choices in the movie, one of which is to keep the cast small. For most of the movie we only get 5 characters and that allows us to get to know them. You feel like you're inside the movie, studying everyone and trying to get the edge on them by observing their mannerisms and gauging their personality. While you're getting inside the characters' heads, a strong sense of urgency builds. I'm no criminal, but I know that with a robbery, you have to get in and get out quick. The longer the plot drags on, the worse it's going to get because you increase the chances of more things going wrong. After a while you realize there are no heroes or villains in this film. Because the characters are intelligent, they're always trying something new and it kept me guessing as to what was going to happen or be said next. It's really satisfying to see a movie where people act logically; always trying to sneak past each other's defenses (both physical and mental/emotional) and you'll constantly be surprised by the new elements introduced. "Money" is a terrific thriller that really cleverly uses its location, creates genuine thrills and exciting feelings of paranoia and claustrophobia too.