Movie Review: Money Monster

Money Monster, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, is about a disgruntled investor taking over a financial show in a terrorist style.  The gunman (Kyle) loses all of his money after taking Clooney's advice and investing in a 'can't lose' company.  The company goes belly-up after a week and then blames an 'algo' or algorithm for "losing" all of its assets.  Without spoiling the movie, a mini-mystery is attached to the company's demise.

My Opinion: Jodie Foster, the director, proves once again how talented she is.  The movie is full of action, suspense, and an interesting plot.  Although the story line is fiction, it made me think of the mortgage industry, hedge funds, the S and L Crisis, and several of the true stories on American Greed.  Foster taps into a growing disdain most Americans feel about Wall Street.  The gunman is just a poor schmuck who wants to get ahead.  His low wages would keep him in debt forever.  During the middle of the movie I felt sorry for him. Maybe that was Foster's point.
The acting is wonderful as is the story telling.  The movie brings up some interesting and valid points about the rules or lack of rules that allow heads of companies to burn through the stockholders' assets for personal gain.  Great movie for adults who are suspicious of the stock market.  4.5/5 Stars