Review of Where the Money Is

Where the Money Is (2000): Dir: Marek Kanievska / Cast: Paul Newman, Linda Fiorentino, Dermot Mulroney, Susan Barnes, Anne Pitoniak: We don't really care where the money is but rather where the screenwriter was. Title possibly references Linda Fiorentino's view of Paul Newman in her quest to flee her lifestyle. He is a notorious bank robber transferred to a nursing home. She is a nurse who doesn't buy the act and attempts to expose him. Her marriage to Dermot Mulroney lost its passion in favour of merely functioning. Central plot regards robbing armoured trucks but this becomes repetitious with a shameless ending that not only applauds theft, but also allows the wrong participant to take the fall. Director Marek Kanievska does well with touches of humour but production seems flat. Newman is in top form as a patient whom is tested in very funny sequences with regards to his condition. He takes command but at the cost of someone else. Fiorentino as the nurse seeks excitement and adventure and does so at the careless cost of her marriage. Mulroney as her husband goes along with the scheme in hopes of reconnecting with his wife but ultimately must sacrifice himself for the wrong happiness. This is where the film hits a moral issue that some viewers will likely resent. We are ask to celebrate a conclusion that reeks. The film never arrives at any moral conclusion or purpose. Score: 4 ½ / 10