Fool's Gold

29

Warner Bros. Pictures (110 minutes)
and Andy Tennant
Matthew McConaughey , Kate Hudson , Donald Sutherland , Ewen Bremner , Alexis Dziena , Kevin Hart , and Ray Winstone

Rating: PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language

Summary: Ben "Finn" Finnegan is an affable, modern-day treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queen's Dowry--40 chests of priceless treasure that was lost at sea in 1715. In his quest, Finn has sunk everything he has, including his marriage to Tess. Just as Tess has begun to rebuild her life, working aboard a mega-yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt, Finn discovers a vital clue to the treasure's whereabouts. Much to Tess' consternation, Finn maneuvers himself aboard Nigel's yacht and, using his roguish charm, convinces the tycoon and his celebutante daughter, Gemma, to join him in the pursuit of the Spanish riches. Even Tess can't resist the lure of finally uncovering the treasure that had eluded them for so long. But they are not the only ones after the prize. Finn's one-time mentor, Moe Fitch, and a ruthless local gangster named Bigg Bunny are intent on beating Finn to the trove. Let the treasure hunt begin. (Warner Bros.)

Chris Kaltenbach
Baltimore Sun:
(67) Engaging though flimsy, lively though occasionally tone-deaf, it's a movie that thrives on the strength of its affable co-stars and a sense of adventure that provides just enough brio to get audiences through some energy-sapping rough spots.

James Berardinelli
ReelViews:
(63) The movie isn't entirely successful as a romance or as an adventure, which makes the experience of watching it feel shallow and hollow, sort of like the stars and the plot.

Nathan Rabin
The Onion (A.V. Club):
(58) Tennant keeps his extravagantly stupid new comedy breezing along affably on the strength of photogenic locales, obscenely beautiful stars, a laid-back soundtrack, and a wholesale unwillingness to take itself the least bit seriously.

Sid Smith
Chicago Tribune:
(50) A movie that keeps reminding you of its antecedents, all the way back to 1984 and the comic adventure “Romancing the Stone.”

William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
(50) The script is fatally stupid, most of the gags fall flat, the secondary characters add little, Hudson fails to make anything interesting out of the exasperated heroine, and the endless references to McConaughey's sexual prowess finally become revolting.

A.O. Scott
The New York Times:
(50) Will Finn and Tess find the treasure before the bad guys? Will they put aside their differences and rekindle their love? Yes to both questions! I haven’t spoiled anything, by the way. But perhaps I’ve saved you some trouble.

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