God bless him. Matthew McConaughey just does not like shirts. That is probably the source of half the ticket sales Fool's Gold"" will receive. Desperate middle-aged women, this one is for you.
Beyond McConaughey's appeal, there is no reason for someone not on a date or looking for cinematic ""gold"" to go out of their way to see this film. Don't get me wrong, Donald Sutherland makes one damn good tycoon, and ""Fool's Gold"" is a completely suitable date movie, but there is little to director Andy Tennant's latest.
It's not that ""Fool's Gold"" is bad, it's just that it is not aiming for much - which is okay. Honestly, it is an appropriate mix of believability, a few smart lines and zany slapstick. They used restraint, and that is a good thing.
""Fool's Gold"" is acceptably formulaic. The writers and audience both accept that this is a big budget romantic comedy, but they are going to make it a nice one - not ground breaking by any means, but good enough. ""Fool's Gold"" will make you laugh and tense up with worries about the tribulations of the cast. Everything about this movie works barely enough.
The film's premise is that Finn (McConauhey) and Tess (Kate Hudson) are married treasure hunters, and after eight years of chasing the lost treasure of the Spanish Main, Tess wants a divorce. Desperate to keep Tess, and hot on a new lead, Finn convinces Tess and her boss Nigel Honeycutt (Sutherland) to join him on one last attempt to find the treasure. That's enough to make a happy movie, but throw in a zany bad guy who wants the treasure too (famous rapper Big Bunny) and you have ""Gold.""
More formulas show up as the film follows Finn and Tess' crazed adventures, while the audience goes on a satisfactory rollercoaster of emotions, panic and giggles. It's a lot like ""National Treasure,"" except with more sex and fewer shirts. That said, ""Fool's Gold"" is good enough to see. It's no classic, but you won't demand your eight dollars back. There are plenty of funny bits and only a few moments that will make audience members chuckle in disbelief.
