Money Monster (4 Stars)

This film is so exciting and enthralling from beginning to end that it's easy to overlook the real message. It's a film about corruption by rich executives and the normal poor people -- you and me -- who suffer as a result.

George Clooney plays Lee Gates, a flamboyant financial adviser who hosts a weekly investment advice show, "Money Monster". In one of his episodes he recommends IBIS, a mining company, as "safer than a bank savings book". A few weeks later the company's stock unexpectedly crashes . It's blamed on a glitch in an automated stock trading program, but Lee invites the CEO of IBIS, Walt Camby, as a guest on his show to talk about the crash.

A man bursts into the TV studio with a gun and a bomb during the live broadcast. He's Kyle Ludwell, a delivery man who lost his life savings investing in IBIS. He demands to talk to Lee and Walt live on air. Unfortunately, Walt Camby isn't in the studio because he's flown to Geneva at short notice. Kyle holds Lee hostage while Lee tries to find out what happened to IBIS. As the clock ticks Lee begins to suspect that it wasn't a glitch, it was some sort of corrupt activity. All the time the show's director Patty Fenn is speaking to Lee over an ear piece, advising him what to say next; advice that he doesn't always take.

This is a well written film with first class performances by all the main actors.