3/5 A dollar saved is a dollar earned
  by Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana)
Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) suddenly finds herself out of money and upper class home when her husband Don (Ted Danson) gets downsized from his company. Unable to find a job, and out of desperation, she takes a job as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank, and as soon as she lays eyes on the vast fortune sitting around locked in plain sight, she starts hatching a plan to liberate some of it.

Her ingenious and simple plan requires the help of two other people, and soon she persuades the reluctant Nina Brewster (Queen Latifah) and the ditsy Jackie Truman (Katie Holmes) to aid and abet her scheme to steal worn out bills before they get shredded.

All together now:

And the money kept rolling in from every side
Jackie's pretty hands reached out and they reached wide
Now you may feel it should have
been a conscience-pricking scheme
But that's not the point my friends
When the money keeps rolling in, you don't ask how
Think of all the people guaranteed a good time now
Bridget called the needy to her, opened up the doors
Never been a fund like the Federal Reserve Bank plan*

After a while, there are thoughts of calling it a day, but Bridget pushes hard for milking it for all it's worth.

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS)
1. The lack of money is the root of all scheming
2. People who live with poor spouses shouldn't clean banks
3. A dollar saved is a dollar earned
4. Don't throw the money out with the trash paper
5. Money changes everything
6. Two things are certain - theft and taxes


This is a light hearted comedy about three women from different backgrounds who come together to pull off an unlikely heist from a secure facility. Undeniably, there are more plot holes than plot, but who's counting? There are some funny moments, and some interesting twists, and even though the movie mostly misses the mark, Keaton and Latifah are as good as always. Wait for it on cable.




*Based on "And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)" - Andrew Lloyd Webber - "Evita"



Amanda Richards, March 21, 2008


5/5 Everyone Loves Money
  by Roberta Hotard (Somewhere here, Florida)
Mad Money a brainy scheme of 3 women Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes try to smuggle millions of worn out currency that is headed for the Federal Reserve shredder. This movie is full of laughs and excitement and most of all lots of Mad Money. This in my opinion is a must see. I enjoyed these 3 actresses who are my favorite so much I now own it.

5/5 Greatest Movie Since "Hanging Up!"
  by ChrisTyrrell
Is anyone not glad that Diane Keaton is working again? Probably Mia Farrow, but not me. She is a delight from start to finish, and this movie is 100 brilliant, you better believe it.

Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes star as sisters who develop a money laundering scheme so genius and yet so heinous and grisly, that it left me both cheering them on and hiding my face behind my hands. But I must admit, even though I hate when laws are broken, when you get these three ladies together the only crime would be not laughing uproariously!

Of course Katie Holmes is in her element doing slapstick comedy, but I was surprised to see how well Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah were able to also adapt to the genre. That Queen Latifah is one sassy lady, I must say, and be prepared for plenty of sass when you watch this film.

When three sisters devise a money scheme this enchanting, the only thing that really gets stolen is your heart, as a moviegoer. After you see this movie, you will probably think ill of the government and your upbringing. It's hilarious!!!!

5/5 A different sort of film
  by Esperanza Reynolds (Miami Lakes, Florida)
This is a rare movie, where some of our favorite actors are involved in less than desired activities, and yet we found ourselves rooting for them. The movie is about three women in difficult situations, needing money and a change of perspective for their families.

Ted Danson delivers a great performance as the unemployed husband of Bridget, who not only lost his highly paid executive job, but is now depressed and confronting reality for at his age, he no longer feels confident enough to start again.

The three women work at what looks like Fort Knox, where money is disposed off by banks because it becomes too old to circulate. They simply shred millions every day. To support her family, Bridget, played by Diane Keaton, comes up with a rather ingenious plot that is both fun and believable.

In order to be successful in her plan to steal lots of money, Bridget enlists others. Nina, played by Queen Latifah, and Jackie, superbly played by Katie Holmes, become the other two in this trio of thieves. We found ourselves laughing, enjoying the suspense, and hoping that they get away with their creative money recycling business.



3/5 star power barely carries weak plot
  by Southern Paperback Rider (South Arkansas)
This movie just didn't keep me. The star power alone carried the weak, difficult to believe plot. IMO the purpose of a "heist movie" (like ocean's 11) is to make you think that you really could do something like that and get away with it, this movie didn't pull that off. I never got used to seeing Diane Lane in a janitor's jumpsuit. Katie Holmes was plays a looney tune, probably the only type of character that she would be good at nowadays. There is no moral to the story. No "come to Jesus" moment at the end. Instead you're left with the feeling that if you can steal from the government, everything's gravy. Not terrible, but worth a little less than face value.