In many ways, "Other People's Money" seems like a reworking of Oliver Stone's "Wall Street", with Danny DeVito playing a Gordon Gecko-like troll who delights in buying up cash-flush companies and liquidating them. But the script is confusing...and it seems as if the movie isn't sure if it's supposed to be a comedy, a romance or a drama.
The story finds Lawrence Garfield (DeVito) working to buy up the majority of shares of a wire company run by Andrew Jorgenson (Gregory Peck). It seems that there's more profit to be made buying up the company and liquidating its assets. The company's only weapon in this fight is Jorgenson's pretty step-daughter, Kate (Penelope Ann Miller). She is a knockout in the film and her beauty and aloofness manage to somehow charm Garfield.
The romantic aspects of the film simply don't work. It isn't just because Garfield is a short and unattractive man. His PERSONALITY is unlikable and gross as well...which makes Kate's reaction to him, well, very strange and confusing. The same can be said for the humor. At times, it seems like they are trying to make a comedy...but there really aren't any laughs. My feeling is that the film is quite watchable but also difficult to believe as well.
The story finds Lawrence Garfield (DeVito) working to buy up the majority of shares of a wire company run by Andrew Jorgenson (Gregory Peck). It seems that there's more profit to be made buying up the company and liquidating its assets. The company's only weapon in this fight is Jorgenson's pretty step-daughter, Kate (Penelope Ann Miller). She is a knockout in the film and her beauty and aloofness manage to somehow charm Garfield.
The romantic aspects of the film simply don't work. It isn't just because Garfield is a short and unattractive man. His PERSONALITY is unlikable and gross as well...which makes Kate's reaction to him, well, very strange and confusing. The same can be said for the humor. At times, it seems like they are trying to make a comedy...but there really aren't any laughs. My feeling is that the film is quite watchable but also difficult to believe as well.