Fool's Gold (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
O Rental
O OK
X Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / February 22, 2008

Who knew that Malcolm-Jamal Warner was still around? You might remember him as Theo Huxtable from “The Cosby Show.” In “Fool’s Gold,” he plays Cordell, a loan shark’s thug. Casting Warner counts for something … but it’s just not enough.

“Fool’s Gold” is the poor man’s “Into the Blue” (2005), not that “Into the Blue” exemplifies refinement. Even though “Fool’s Gold” is an oceanic treasure-hunt movie, surprisingly little of it takes place under water; whereas, “Into the Blue” makes sure its characters get wet. And though I’m nothing to write home about while wearing my swimming trunks, Paul Walker and Jessica Alba Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson ain’t. Like I said, a poor man’s “Into the Blue.”

Still, most critics were probably too hard on “Fool’s Gold.” It doesn’t try to swing for the fence, and I think we all know that going in. “Fool’s Gold” is simply a vehicle for re-pairing McConaughey and Hudson again (remember “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”?), giving us plenty of McConaughey with his shirt off, and a light-hearted, beach-fun movie that will be just in time for a summery DVD release. Filler.

Despite its superfluousness, there are a couple parts of “Fool’s Gold” that are of note, which make the remainder of this review worth reading, even though the movie isn’t worth seeing: There is an ugly little scene that feels wrong for such a silly, PG-13 romantic comedy. A damsel in distress bashes the bad guy in the face with a rock. Ouch. In retaliation, the bad guy knocks the damsel out with a punch in the face. Ha, ha hilarious. We sure are havin’ fun on our date, aren’t we, Honey?

As prudish as it may sound, it’s overlooked content like this that indulges a movie that has a scene where a character rips the pulsating, beating heart from a live man’s chest, and still escapes an R rating (“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”). Also, scenes like this eventually allow movies like “Beowulf” (2007) to slink by with a PG-13 rating, even though Angelina Jolie’s costume is basically her birthday suit … plus a tail. This slippery slope follows the result of allowing a camel to stick his nose in your tent during a sandstorm; eventually, you’ll have a whole camel in your tent.

The other questionable scene from “Fool’s Gold” is similar: An explosion occurs underwater that launches a sword into the air. The sword sticks in the deck of a yacht, landing in front of a young girl, between her legs. What makes this scene suspect is the camera angle: The shot is filmed from deck-level, focusing the sword in the center of the foreground and the girl’s spread-open legs in the nearby background. And the cinematographer lingers, holding the shot for an unseemly amount of time.

I realize the controversy over rating systems and content is a tired topic. But it’s important that we try to maintain and improve this current system, because a careful study of film history will reveal former systems of regulation that conservative and liberal viewers alike would oppose. In the meantime, for you viewers who don’t trust the MPAA system, I have three suggestions: 1.) Read my reviews. If it’s PG-13 and should be R, I’ll let you know (according to my opinion, of course). 2.) Look up the movie in question on www.imdb.com and click on the MORE link associated with the “Plot Keywords.” This list is indicative of the movie’s content. 3.) Visit www.kids-in-mind.com, but be warned that this site’s descriptions are explicit, insomuch that it could be counter-productive for those who wish to avoid entertaining their thoughts with “questionable content.”

As for “Fool’s Gold,” we’ve got Matthew McConaughey playing a ditzy, air-headed version of his usual onscreen persona, but this time he’s a treasure-hunter named Finn. He and his wife, Tess (Kate Hudson), have searched for a $500 million treasure that sunk around 1715, but to no avail. Tess is unhappy with Finn and is filing for a divorce, much to his dismay.

Meanwhile, Finn gets in deep water with a loan shark called “Bigg Bunny,” a name which he insists is one word but all of his shops’ signs spell it as two. Just when Finn happens onto a significant clue during his treasure hunt, Big Bunny becomes a life-threatening hindrance.

To make an irrelevant and long plot summary shorter, Finn and Tess team up with a millionaire (Donald Sutherland) and his Paris Hilton-like daughter (Alexis Dziena) to try to find said treasure. But the motley crew must also race against their competition: Bigg Bunny and his goons, as well as another seasoned treasure-hunter.

The back story on the treasure is suspiciously lengthy and complex, as is the quest for the treasure itself. Indeed, this smacks of screenwriters’ sleight of hand: distract the viewers with a bunch of impenetrable smoke, and they won’t realize it’s a shabby plot. Another example of this is “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007).

But again, “Fool’s Gold” doesn’t claim to be Academy Awards material, and pretty much anything is better than “At World’s End.” So, if you like Matt McConaughey, Kate Hudson and dumb movies, have at it. Besides, it has Theo Huxtable!

Directed by Andy Tennant
Matthew McConaughey / Kate Hudson / Donald Sutherland
Adventure / Romance 113 min.
MPAA: PG-13 (for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language)

U.S. Release Date: February 22, 2008
Copyright 2008: 242