Money Talks (1997)

Money Talks was a worthwhile action/comedy that was enjoyable. Charlie Sheen and Chris Tucker made a great duo. Money Talks was also notable for being Brett Ratner's directorial debut, who would also go on to direct the Rush Hour trilogy, The Family Man, and Red Dragon.Franklin Hatchett (Chris Tucker) is a small time hustler who is exposed by reporter James Russell (Charlie Sheen) on camera and arrested by police. While Franklin is transported to jail on a prison bus, the bus is intercepted by mercenaries and Franklin is dragged onto a helicopter while handcuffed to another prisoner. When Franklin hears a plot to locate a cache of stolen diamonds, he manages to jump out of the helicopter when the mercenaries also plan to murder him. Franklin must also evade the police following his escape from custody as well as being framed for the murder of several police officers. Franklin enlists the help of James Russell, the reporter who initially put him in prison, for protection and to clear his name.Chris Tucker was a standout for this comedy. He was hilarious! Chris Tucker would also reunite with Brett Ratner for the Rush Hour trilogy. Charlie Sheen was also good to see as reporter James Russell.Also starring Heather Locklear, Paul Sorvino, David Warner, and Paul Gleason, Money Talks was an enjoyable comedy from start to finish. It was good to see Brett Ratner go on to build a career as a popular director.7/10.

A low-level smooth talking hustler by the name of Franlin Hatchet (Chris Tucker) is on the run from the police, after a jailbreak. Which he is falsely accused of planning a violent jailbreak. Now the whole city is on his trail and the only one, who could clear his name is an ambitious television reporter James Russell (Charlie Sheen). Which is the only reason why Franklin was sent to prison, because of James. Now together, they find each other mixed-up with cops, crooks and euro-trash bad guys. Which Franklin knows that the man (Gerard Ismael) was chained-up with in the bus. He was trying to retrieve a fortune in diamonds.Directed by Brett Rather (Rush Hour Trilogy, X-Men 3:The Last Stand, Red Dragon) made an highly entertaining comedy with enough thrills and humour. Although the premise is familiar but Tucker's energetic comical performance makes this worth watching.DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) and an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD includes the original theatrical trailer, cast information and star highlights by Tucker and Sheen. After the box office success of this film, Tucker went on the one of the leads of the "Rush Hour" movies. Paul Sorvino is amusingly cast as Russell's future father-in-law. Written by Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. Which they wrote films together like "Garfield", "Garfield:A Tale of Two Kitties" and "Toy Story". Tucker also executive produced the film. Super 35. (****/*****).

How many buddy films must Hollywood churn out? A mildly entertaining, but repetitive flick for a late-night, TBS watch. It's odd how Charlie Sheen went from starring in one of the best war films of all time (Platoon) to silly movies like this. There are some laughs here, but most of the "comedy" is centered around Tucker's stereotypical "urban blackness". Chris Tucker's only role in this movie (and others) is so that middle-class, white people can laugh at those silly black people. Sheen is a local TV reporter whose report on a local hustler (Tucker) helps get him arrested. When Tucker's character is framed for a murder he didn't commit, he turns to Sheen for help. If there's nothing else on television, give it a shot, but don't spend money on it. I recommend the similar, but better (still by no means fine cinema, but funnier and more entertaining than Money Talks) Rush Hour, also starring Tucker along with Jackie Chan.

The only thing that can be said for "Money Talks" is that it held my interest. No, it's not a great film, but then again few comedies of this sort are. For what it is, the film entertained me enough to recommend it. Tucker and Sheen have rather good chemistry together, albeit it in a less-than-spectacular way.Essentially the plot is a bunch of nonsense, it's just an excuse to see another white man/black man buddy comedy in the vein of "Lethal Weapon," "Running Scared," etc.This is not a "good" movie but if it's on TV you might as well give it a go, it's hardly awful and certainly better than it could have turned out to be.3/5