Column: Fool’s Gold’ a fool’s errand
Feb. 12, 2008
(Click graphic to enlarge)
There are few things in this world of ours that are more marketable than Matthew McConaughey’s shirtless upper torso. “Fool’s Gold” seems to understand this, and uses it to its advantage by having the curly-haired Texan sans shirt for a majority of the movie.
Unfortunately, neither McConaughey nor his pecs can save “Fool’s Gold” from deciding if it’s a low-grade romantic comedy or a low-grade adventure flick.
“Fool’s Gold” is about a recently divorced couple (McConaughey and Kate Hudson, who acts no differently from any other role she’s ever played) who also happen to be treasure hunters.
After the two share a benefactor in a sea-traveling millionaire (played by an extravagantly lethargic Donald Sutherland), they decide to work together one last time to try and recover a treasure known as Queen’s Dowry. Making matters worse, McConaughey’s character is currently in deep water with a dangerous rapper named Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart).
The plot is as easy to follow and predict as a treasure map, and the characters are so formulaic that originality is the treasure in need of recovering. Bumbling Bahamian henchmen, a terrifyingly faux Paris Hilton heiress and McConaughey’s hackneyed “surfer dude” persona all help to make the movie, not the gold, foolish.
Hudson and McConaughey don’t have enough chemistry for “Fool’s Gold” to be romantic. The script has scant amounts of laughs and most of those are spent on dumbfounded looks from the man-bimbo McConaughey.
With better casting and a stronger script, “Fool’s Gold” could have been the new “Romancing the Stone.” However, comparing Michael Douglas to McConaughey is like comparing Earth, Wind And Fire to the Baha Men.
The sleuthing done to uncover the secrets of the Queens Dowry is hardly compelling. Perhaps director Andy Tennant was expecting the audience to view McConaughey as a Caribbean Indiana Jones, replacing the fedora and whip with oxygen tanks and flippers.
The problem with McConaughey’s character is his lack of believability. The balance between McConaughey’s hair-brained schemes and his proficiency in Spanish naval history rid his character of all genuineness.
Blame Hollywood for sinking this film. Hudson and McConaughey are nothing more than swimming eye candy. This film could have been titled “Into the Blue 2” and few people would have noticed. With little more to offer its audience than envy of the Keys’ climate, “Fool’s Gold” is a fool’s errand.
More Feb. 12, 2008 Arts Stories
- Evangelicals grace Columbia — The band will perform at Mojo’s following the release of their second album.
- Calibration is an exhilarating experiment — Rodriguez-Lopez’s new album gives listeners a taste of his warped sense of taste in music.
- Fool’s Gold’ a fool’s errand — There are few things in this world of ours that are more marketable than Matthew McConaughey’s shirtless upper torso. “Fool’s ...
- Rebels for an artistic cause — Mikey Wheeler pulled the cigarette out from behind his left ear, stepped outside his office and took a few minutes ...
- Here's to Being Here is a dissapointment — Here’s to Being Here is the third in Jason Collett’s string of solo albums.
Most recent Arts Stories
- 'Blindness' is not Fernando Meirelles' best work — When the scariest part of a survival-thriller like "Blindness" isn't the worldwide epidemic, but an ancient Danny Glover agreeing to ...
- Murs for President could get elected — Murs' new album combines politics and upbeat songs
- Jenny Lewis' Acid Tongue takes unexpected risks — The Rilo Kiley singer works western and folk into her new album.
- "Downtown Owl" an enjoyable, forgettable read — His novel has the same sharp qualities as his social criticism.
- Festival fosters fun and flavor — The second-annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival brought more than 100,000 concert-goers to downtown Columbia this past weekend. This ...