film: Rat Race

Jerman's rating: 1 step forward, 3 steps back. My first negative rating. I've been waiting.

The film sports a good cast, interesting premise, and is an easy comedy. It ought to be very popular and highly viewed, which from what I tell it was.

The film first discusses money, and how people love it, then its about gambling. The characters ask themselves, as you might ask yourself while watching "How far are you (they/ am I) willing to go for money?" How much money? What kind of things? Its a valid question. Its not handled very well in this film.

This film almost writes the definition for 1 step forward films. The good morals are unimportant and have the same effect as an afterthought. Spoiler ** The money goes to a good cause at the end, but it feels awkward in the situation, out of place, like it belonged in a different story. The good thing wasn't done for good's sake, but because it was the "cool", "fad" thing to do, because of girl friend /boy friend, because of pressure and wanting to 'look good'.

Things to pick up: Gambling is cool, especially the more innovative and expensive it is. Everybody is in it(life) for the money, its really all thats important, sure it runs the world, but its so much more important than that. There's a good amount of violence (treated as crazy but ok), stealing (you gotta do what you gotta do), and there is definite objectionable sexual content. I found a few things just ridiculous- like two people deciding on getting married and living together because of $2 mil that they don't even have but will supposedly bring them together, a very good way to start a marriage: "We'll both be rich, we ought to get married!"

Overall it could be an enjoyable entertaining movie, not the greatest morals though. It does have good laughs.

note: One thing I've noticed is that the more moral the film is the more there is to write about, you could write novels on a good movie, for this one though- even though I've left out some things, there isn't much else to say.