Film Review: Free Money (1998)

When the film cast and crew are having a blast on the set, what ultimately ends on the screen is usually disappointing. Free Money, 1998 Canadian black comedy Yves Simoneaux, represents one such example.

The plot is set in small North Dakota town and the protagonist are Bud Dyerson (played by Charlie Sheen), owner of wrecker truck, and Larry (played by Thomas Haden Church), a cook. Two men were dating teenage twin sisters Liv and Inga Sorenson (played by Holly L. Watson and Christin Watson) who decided to lie about pregnancy to their father, Sven “The Swede” Sorenson (played by Marlon Brando), warden of local prison, a cruel, corrupt and feared man. Since he is also the most powerful man in town, Bud and Larry don’t have any choice but to agree to shotgun weddings. Both men are then forced to move into their father-in-law’s house where they are used as slave labour. Bud gets an idea to free himself from such predicament by robbing train carrying used banknotes from neighbouring Canada. In the meantime, FBI agent Karen Polarski (played by Mira Sorvino) comes to town in order to investigate large number of prisoners who were allegedly killed while trying to escape Sorenson’s prison.

1990s weren’t great decade in the career of grand actor Marlon Brando. He was nevertheless quite enthusiastic when given the script by Joseph Brutsman and Tony Peck and wholeheartedly accepted the offer to act in what would become his penultimate film. According to many testimonies, Brando was having great deal of fun on the set, partly thanks to Canadian director Yves Simoneaux delegating all of his authority and allowing Brando to do what he pleased whenever his character was in the scene. Brando’s enthusiasm, on the other hand, is less likely to be shared by audience. Although Free Money had very good cast (with veteran character actor Donald Sutherland in the role of town’s judge), most of the characters are more grotesque than funny. Same can be said of many scenes and it is hard to avoid impression that Simoneaux and his scriptwriters tried to make cheap copy of Fargo. Unfortunately, Simonauex lacks Coen Brothers’ talent and the flaws of the film aren’t compensated even by Brando’s undisputed talent.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

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