Shawn Carlstrom
For the love of god, this film was not good. This film sucked. I know it was based on a true story and all, but the entire thing felt so melodramatic and fake. The acting was decent across the board and I wasn't pleasantly surprised at anything in the entire film. I guess it's about a man and his family coming to America in search of the American dream, which it doesn't feel like. The movie doesn't flow, it doesn't move forward, it feels like it's stuck in park. There is no logical progression of events, everything is disjointed and hard to follow. Like, really hard.It is a shameful dollar store knockoff of Goodfellas, which is amazing. This? No. Poor direction, poor writing, way melodramatic, not enough depth in characters, the lead has no personality, the ending is cliché and not concluded well, there are so many issues. I only watched it because of Edward Furlong, and he's only in the movie for like 5 minutes. Overall, bad movie. Why watch this when you can watch Goodfellas?
Theo Robertson
Being caught up in the Tel Aviv underworld of 1973 teenager Izek decides to emigrate to Los Angeles . Howeer he soon finds that crime is a universal aspect of the human condition and that in the United States the stakes are much higher Reportedly based on a true story FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY is a film where you're constantly reminded of the style of Martin Scorsese . Take for example the early scenes featuring Ed Furlong playing violent foul mouthed psychotic Tommy . Was there anyone not reminded of Joe Pesci ? Likewise the constant use of a musical soundtrack and narration gives the impression director Ellie Kanner is trying to emulate Scorsese down to a tee but at the same time you're constantly reminded that you're most certainly not watching Scorsese I also had a slight problem with Izek who is maybe a little bit too stand up and self righteous to be taken seriously especially since he's supposed to be based on a real life character . Take for example the scene where he agrees to be a get away driver for two characters he knows are gangsters . They go round to someone's business to extort money , beat the victim to a pulp and when they go back to the car Izek remonstrates and leaves them . Let me get this straight , he knows they're violent criminals and he's upset they batter people half to death . It's not like the job description advertised " Driver for Mr Whippy's ice cream van required " . I think Izek is spinning himself as being a bit too innocent . That said it was the same in GOODFELLAS FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY isn't a a bad film just an over familiar one with a slightly cynical air where the big names such as James Caan and Paul Sorvino seem to be included for a marketing excises and Sorvino especially is confined to a blink and you'll miss it cameo . That said despite the flaws Ellie Kanner does bring a sense of time and place to the proceedings and it does genuinely look like a 1980s movie . Just a pity there isn't a more idiosyncratic flourish to the movie that feels to need to ape Scorsese in everything
OJT
This film seems to have everything going for it. Good production value, nice nostalgia, great and accurate time warping, good play by good actors, lovely cars and great music memories. So obviously what's not working here is the drive of the story. A pity because this could have been really good. However, it you looking for a drama more than a action movie, there's a good chance you'll be quite satisfied.A story based on real life events. We meet a couple of Israeli boys growing up in Tel Aviv, later on moving to L.A. To experience the American dream. Being successful with starting burger bars, going further on to dealing with cars, we follow the rise of gangsters. Being stupid enough to not showing the right amount of respect for Levine, they get into deep trouble.The story is told like many well known gangster movies. I love James Caan's role as the mob boss Mickey Levine here. He is excellent! The main film makers behind this female, and you might feel that. If you see this as a drama, and don't compare it to the gangster movies it pretends to follow I the line of, this is quite good film making.
Shahab Ahmad Khan
The production design was good. Excessive use of old songs though. Old music is welcomed even in a dentist's chair but they should feel natural. The actual people who's story this film tells may have struggled but it doesn't come out here. A few brothers and cousins go to another country, and a few good and a few bad things happen...Could be anybody's story. James Caan saved it. However, it tried to be The Godfather and that is something no film should attempt to do. Some parts cater to the nostalgia very well but for some reason the film feels like Styrofoam, you watch it and you don't know what to take home from it. Or may be it's just me. This is my first review I hope I haven't written anything that qualifies as spoiling.
AD
