Fool's Gold
Tricia Hennessy - Community Relations, Media Specialist, Parkview Whitley Hospital
February, 8, 2008
Paired up again
in the latest romantic comedy, “Fool’s Gold” is Kate Hudson and
Matthew McConaughey. This duo, with
Matthew’s rugged good looks and Kate’s “girl-next-door” charm,
perfects the love-hate relationship as they hunt for mythical
treasure off the coast of the
Meet Ben “Finn”
Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey). Finn is a
full-time treasure hunter who is more successful at making messes
than in finding the loot, which is apparent by the accidental
sinking of his boat while uncovering the latest sunken treasure. But
when a piece of a plate from the fabled “Aurelia” ship is found,
Finn seeks out his soon-to-be ex-wife Tess (
Meanwhile, Tess is currently working as a steward on a luxury yacht
owned by friendly tycoon Nigel Honeycutt, played by legendary actor
Donald Sutherland. After maneuvering his way aboard the ship, Finn
convinces Tess, Nigel and socialite daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena),
to come along in this latest treasure hunt, fulfilling both his need
of his ex-wife’s knowledge as well as his constant need of funds.
And so starts
the typical “who can get to the treasure first “, including a cat
and mouse game with the token bad guy and reuniting of a former
partner all in the name of proper treasure hunting etiquette.
Unfortunately, as the sordid details of the fabled ship story begins
to unfold, the audience cannot help but get lost as it turns into a
jumbled mess of this Spaniard did this causing that Spaniard to do
that.
The saving
grace for “Fool’s Gold” is two groups of supporting characters. The
father/daughter twosome of Nigel and Gemma
brings humor to the screen when you least expect it. Gemma’s
“daddy’s little rich girl” character, dolled up in pure Paris Hilton
fashion, perfects the one-liner at exactly the right time. This,
combined with Sutherland’s not-so-subtle reactions to his daughter’s
misgivings, was definitely a crowd pleaser, as indicated by the
outright laughter heard around the theatre.
Additionally, the ship’s cooks, a loving,
overtly gay middle-aged couple, not only completes the stereotypical
casting, but also compliments the intended humor aspect of “Fool’s
Gold.”
“Fool’s Gold” was
definitely
made in an attempt to cash in on the previously successful onscreen
chemistry of McConaughey and Hudson
(“How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days”). This romantic flair, mixed with the
high seas treasure adventure makes this movie a great choice for
both male and female alike, as long as you don’t mind a lot of
stereotypes that must be included in order for it to work.
The best part
of Bones Theatre for me was the location. It is extremely convenient
to have a local theatre. The screen quality is excellent and the
chairs are roomy and comfortable. Although the bathrooms could have
been neater and there seemed to be an issue of popcorn all over the
lobby floor, for opening night of a romantic comedy the week before
Valentine’s Day, Bones Theatre was the ideal venue for watching
“Fool’s Gold.”