CA$H
US, 2010, 108 minutes. Colour.
Sean Bean, Chris Hemsworth, Victoria Profeta, Mike Starr, Michael Mantell, Glenn Plummer.
Directed by Stephen Milburn Anderson.
Ca$h is a moralising thriller. Sean Bean features as twins, one a British criminal who comes to the United States to recover the money that his brother has robbed. His brother is in prison.
Chris Hemsworth and Victoria Profeta are an ordinary Chicago couple. When the case with the stolen money is tossed over a bridge, it lands on the couple’s car. They decide to keep the money – and spend a great deal of it before Sean Bean comes knocking at their door. He has previously investigated several other possibilities for finding the money.
This begins a time of menace for the couple, Bean’s character being obsessive, especially about with the numbers, in getting the exact amount of money back. He forces them to keep him, to rob some convenience stores, finally to rob a bank.
The film shows the moral of what does it profit to gain the whole world and lose…
The film has a moralising ending – with the couple restoring all the money that was stolen. However, with the death of the criminal, they still have all his money. There is a tease at the end as the brother is released from prison (though he has shown no indication of wanting to prevent the young couple spending the money that they have).
Sean Bean is very good at menace in this kind of role. Chris Hemsworth, after performing in Home and Away and other series in Australia, went to the United States and appeared in Star Trek and The Perfect Getway. He made his mark in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor.
1. An interesting drama? Crime thriller?
2. The Chicago settings? Prison? The streets? Homes? Dealers, shops, banks? The realistic setting for this kind of story? The musical score?
3. The title, Kubic and his preoccupation with the cash? Wanting to recover it? His brother in prison and concern about the cash? Sam and Leslie and their finding the cash, their reactions, using it, spending it? Giving it to Leslie’s mother? Her taking some of the cash? Kubic and his search for the money, the confrontation with Glenn the plumber, with Melvin Goldberg who had stolen money? His discovery of the Phelans, the demands for the cash back, his precise figures? Getting the cash from the robberies? The final outcome with the cash?
4. The background of the robbery, Pyke Kubic coming from Britain? His British manner? Seeing his brother? His relentlessness? His booking in at the hotel? His later returning and demanding a refund? His brutality towards the man at reception? His relentless interviewing of people to find the money, his clue with the buying of cars, his brutality with Melvin Goldberg? The confrontation with Glenn? His finding Sam and his wife? The smooth talk, the threats, moving in, the meals, staying the night? The money from the bank, recovering it all? The plan for the robberies, his staying the night, Leslie’s going to him when he was doing his yoga? His rejection? His agreement for the bank robbery? Watching the TV news? The robbery, Sam keeping the gun, the struggle, his death?
5. Sam and Leslie, an ordinary couple, on hard times? Going to the bank manager? His harsh attitude towards Leslie? Their paying their accounts? Sam having the money? Their buying spree, the range of stuff that they bought, the car, the house? The plan to go into business? Giving up their jobs? Their reaction to Kubic? Anger, compliance? His staying, the meals, their being vegetarians? The television? The communicating with the banks, getting the money back? The robberies, Sam and his hesitation, Leslie and her enjoying the robbery, taking the extra things? Hitting the Korean woman? Sam with the gun? Their wondering what had happened to them? Their fears, Leslie and her assertiveness, anger, wanting to ring the police? Sam and his standing back? At home, cooking the meals? Watching the television? His idea of the bank robbery? The performance of the robbery, the getaway? Getting the gun, confronting Kubic, his death? Taking the car and its being crushed? The restitution of the money, the extra for the injuries? Their future?
6. The Kubic brother getting out of jail – would he pursue the money? What would Sam and Leslie do?
7. A theme of money as the root of all evil – and the questioning of people’s honesty? (Even the television reports of higher amounts of money being stolen than were the case?)
