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Just about every star has at least one or two of those little-known movies that even their fans may have missed along the way. Maybe they’re tiny roles—or tiny movies. Or maybe they’re movies that just didn’t really go anywhere. But, whatever the case, it’s always fun to uncover one of these hidden films years later. So if you’re a fan of stars like John Cusack, Philip Seymour Hoffman, or even Benicio Del Toro, you’ll be in for an unexpected trip down memory lane when you watch the real-life comic caper Money for Nothing.
Cusack stars as Joey Coyle, a Philadelphia dockworker who’s so far down on his luck that he can’t even get work from his older brother, Billy (James Gandolfini). But, one morning, his luck begins to change. As he’s riding home from the docks with his best friend, Kenny (Michael Rapaport), Joey finds a box in the road. He stops to take a look and finds that it’s full of cash—$1.2 million of the Federal Reserve’s money, which had accidentally dropped out of an armored car. Kenny wants to turn the money over to the police, but it’s too late for Joey; he’s already planning his life as a millionaire.
Soon, everybody in Philly is talking about the missing money. And as Joey turns to a neighborhood bookie (Del Toro) and his mobster friends in an awkward attempt to launder the money, the police begin to close in.
Money for Nothing is a surprising film, if only for its remarkably precognitive casting. Though some of the main cast members—like Cusack and Michael Madsen, who plays the detective assigned to track the cash—already had a few memorable roles under their belts at the time, most were relative unknowns. So, for fans of the film’s various up-and-coming cast members, the credits alone make it an enjoyable experience.
Still, there’s a pretty good reason why you probably haven’t heard much about this ‘90s caper: because it isn’t exactly a stand-out film. Its be careful what you wish for story is an interesting one—especially when you consider that it’s based on actual events—but it never really finds its focus. It has some funny moments, but it’s not a wild-and-crazy comedy. It has some suspenseful moments, but it’s not really a thriller. And it has some dramatic moments, but they’re not moving enough to make it a noteworthy drama.
As a result, the actors seem a bit lost in their roles—especially Cusack, whose character is alternately a wide-eyed innocent, a paranoid South Philly meathead, and a reckless punk. Somehow, he manages to pull it off—he even has a few entertaining moments—but it’s definitely not one of his more memorable roles.
If you happen to come across this all-but-forgotten little adventure, you probably won’t be blown away by its poignant performances or its brilliant script. But the cast list alone makes it a fun and even worthwhile (albeit forgettable) discovery.
