Python Hyena Mad Money (2008): Dir: Callie Khori / Cast: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, Roger Cross: Formula comedy about our constant strive for riches. When her husband is downsized, Diane Keaton is forced to work as a janitor at the bank. There she meets a single mother played by Queen Latifah and a young drug addict played by Katie Holmes. Together they devise a scheme to steal the money that is shredded at the end of the day. Setup opens with the conclusion, until becoming formula and applauding theft. Directed by Callie Khori who previously made the nitwit comedy The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. This is also about a small ensemble of women but funnier and much more likable. One element that succeeds is the casting. Keaton holds strong as a loyal house wife who does what she can to oppose the unjust against her family. Latifah has a conscience but she also wants the best for her son. Holmes steals moments as a drug addict who listens to her head phones too loud. Ted Danson as Keaton's husband is supportive despite losing his job. Roger Cross plays a security guard who catches them in the act but he is attracted to the Latifah character and has a change of heart. Conclusion gives the wrong message and the wrong reason. Yes, everyone needs to survive and provide for their family, but the message here is warped and demonstrate the down side of money. Score: 7 / 10

moonspinner55 Strapped upper-class housewife in Kansas City is forced to take a janitorial job at the Federal Reserve Bank where old paper money is destroyed; she gets an idea of how to reserve some of that cash for herself, and enlists two co-workers to help her. Haphazardly-conceived narrative is nitwit comedy one minute, heist drama the next. Diane Keaton comes up with the scheme, which viewers are hardly privy to (she buys a lock and looks something up on the internet); Queen Latifah warns her not to spend any of the money, but a few scenes earlier is seen enrolling her child in a prestigious school and offering to donate a large sum to the library. None of it coheres, and only the scenes set in the Federal Reserve building contain any visual interest. The three leads (Keaton, Latifah, and Katie Holmes) are meant to be portraying lovable losers looking for a break, but all we can see is that they are greedy mercenaries. *1/2 from ****

mattandjen-2 The first thing I can say about this is - its a re-make of a fairly good British 'made for TV' movie called Hot Money. For all those who thought it wouldn't happen in real life - it did happen at the Royal Mint several years ago, and Hot Money was a dramatised version of a true story. Mad Money is simply yet another attempt by Hollywood to rip off someone else's idea - just like The Departed. What I can't understand about re-makes is - 'Why bother if the original is still going to be better than the second one?' Hence my overall review of this is - why did they bother?

razorramon-1 Bloody awful! A career low-light for Diane Keaton - what was she doing in this? I understand there are not enough solid roles available for "serious" actresses - but this poorly written and even worse acted heist comedy should have been avoided at all costs by any top actresses - especially former Oscar Winners!I typically enjoy heist movies - dramatic or comic - but this film was so weakly plotted it took all the fun out of it. The only thing worth while was the impetus for the heist - the current woeful economy we are all suffering through.That being said - don't throw away your precious dollars to rent this one. If you need a comic heist lift - pick up Woody Allen's classic, "Take the Money and Run". That one ALWAYS delivers!