What Do The Critics Say?

"McConaughey makes an amiable enough fool, and the sunny, spirited Hudson is just as Gold(ie) as ever. For a mainstream February release, this one isn't so bad." Mary F Pols CONTRA COSTA TIMES "A modestly entertaining genre pick that doesn't take itself too seriously." Josh Hurst CHRISTIANITY TODAY "Fool’s Gold is a story that revolves around the whereabouts of a lost Spanish treasure rekindling a newly divorced couple's sense of adventure and romance. It is a rollicking action/adventure/romance which is essentially "Romancing the Stone" meets "The Deep" - and little else. While not a great movie, Fool’s Gold is not without its charms and comfortably sits in the "Good Friday Night Out" film niche that tends to guarantee an occasional smile, a few gasps at the action sequences and an appreciation of what Australia has to offer in terms of scenic coastline up north!" David Woodward WEBWOMBAT "Enthusiastic, with frantic and breathless rushing around, he (McConaughey) hits every comic button director Andy Tennant throws at him. It's the sort of knockabout, run around movie where everyone looks like they're having a terrific time making it and having loads of fun. 3 STARS." Stan James ADELAIDE ADVERTISER

"Screen couplings that work are things to be treasured. In that sense, Fool's Gold is as close to the real thing as we've come in a while." Chris Kaltenbach BALTIMORE SUN "Everything is overdone, played for laughs and goes that one notch beyond credibility." Louise Keller URBANCINEFILE "While "Fool's Gold" is hardly a treasure, it might make a worthy investment. The hilarious opening finds Finn diving with his Ukrainian partner Alfonz. The two are so wrapped up in their work that they don’t notice that their boat has caught fire and sunk right behind them. "Fool’s Gold" is a screwball romantic comedy/adventure movie that most audiences will enjoy but critics will hate." Gary Brown HOUSTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS "McConaughey has found the perfect female lead to offset his stock-in-trade character: Kate Hudson. Her strong willed attitude and quick wit bounces off McConaughey whenever they are on screen together, it's electric. Queensland (primarily Port Douglas) is used to represent Florida’s Key West and it does a surprisingly good job too!" David Woodward WEBWOMBAT "It's in the mould of Romancing the Stone, with the sexual tension between the lead pair smouldering away beneath the gags and the action, but it isn't as effervescent as it wants to be. Fair but not great." Jason Di Rosso MOVIETIME

The Inside Story Andy Tennant had been looking to explore new territory on screen when he was given an early draft of the script "Fool’s Gold", by John Claflin & Daniel Zelman, which explores the allure of finding untold wealth beneath the ocean, something that has long captured the imagination of many a would-be treasure hunter. "I read the material and I thought it had really good bones, no pun intended, and was a golden opportunity to make a really big, fun movie with all the elements I would want to see in an adventure comedy," Tennant recalled. "I felt I could bring a lot to it, so I embarked on a seven-month rewrite during which time, I admit, I became a little obsessed. I did quite a bit of research into the legend of the Queen's Dowry, things that have happened with real treasure hunters and what they’ve found." "When I read the script, I thought it was a great concept for a romantic adventure movie. I have always found Andy’s movies to be highly entertaining, so I sent the script to him. I knew it would be a great fit," Producer Bernie Goldmann ("300") said. "You look at the body of his work and, obviously, Andy is wonderful with comedy. He’s got an incredible instinct for where the humor and the heart is and has great affection for his characters. I knew that what he does so brilliantly with relationships combined with a great adventure story would make for a really fresh take on a romantic action comedy," Producer Donald De Line ("The Italian Job") added. "I think part of the reason I was attracted to this particular story is that the treasure hunt is not only about the money. It’s about this couple who fell in love over a shared passion for research and discovery. But in the real world maybe that wasn’t enough, so when we meet them they are on the brink of a divorce. For them, the treasure may be finding a way back to each other," Tennant notes. "That, to me, was fun." To play the lead roles of Ben 'Finn' Finnegan and his now ex-wife, Tess, the filmmakers reteamed Matthew McConaughey ("Contact") and Kate Hudson ("About Adam"), whose proven chemistry had already won the hearts of moviegoers in the 2003 hit "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days". "It was great to come into this and already have that comfort zone with Matthew," the 2001 Golden Globe winner Hudson ("Almost Famous") said. "I have a total soft spot for him. He’s so endearing; there’s really not a mean bone in his body. We can goof around and have a great time, but we also know how to push each other’s buttons perfectly. We both have a little bit of a competitive nature and throw little jabs at each other, which suited our characters and the dynamic of their relationship." "Kate and I fight and flirt really well," the 2006 People's Choice Award winner McConaughey says. "Chemistry is more about what goes on between the lines than what goes on during the lines and, for whatever reason, it seems to work between us. Kate has a special sparkle that’s very easy to be attracted to. She’s also very sharp with great comedic timing, so it keeps the comedy buoyant, but with a little edge to it." "We needed a couple that could spar; they had to be equally balanced so you’d know that each could give as good as he or she got," says Tennant. "Matthew and Kate are both so talented and they embraced their characters so completely, there was an immediate spark." The story of "Fool's Gold" begins on the very day that Ben and Tess's divorce is to become final. "As it so happens, the same day that his wife is divorcing him, Finn finds a new clue; a big clue, to the treasure they’ve been searching for for the last eight years. It’s proof that the treasure is there, and if he can show her that they’re on the right track after all, maybe she'll give him another chance and won’t go through with the divorce." You get the sense that Finn makes Tess crazy," Hudson admits. "She loves him, but he is completely irresponsible and doesn’t think before he acts and Tess has a difficult time trusting his judgment. Of course, when Tess finally makes the leap to end the marriage, Finn manages to work his way back into her life and continues to drive her insane." Tess has set a new course for her life, working on the fabulous luxury yacht Precious Gem. To the delight of the filmmakers, two time Golden Globe award winning actor Donald Sutherland accepted the role of the wealthy tycoon Nigel Honeycutt, who got more than he bargained for when he hired Tess to serve as a steward on his yacht. De Line, who previously collaborated with Sutherland on "Braquage à l'italienne", says, "I’ve been fortunate to work with Donald Sutherland twice now, and he brings something special with him every time he walks onto a set. We were thrilled when he loved the script and the role. Everyone knew he was a brilliant actor, but then he wrote a beautiful, impassioned letter about how he saw the character of Nigel and that just sealed the deal. It was really something." Tennant notes, "There are times in a director’s life when you meet actors that transcend their roles, and working with Donald was one of those times." Alexis Dziena was cast as Honeycutt's daughter, Gemma. "When we were casting the role, Alexis came into the room and was just the best of the bunch. She was fun and funny and nailed the character, so it was an easy decision on my part to cast her," Tennant said. "The challenge with this character was to make sure she was coming from a positive place and did not come off completely vain and one-dimensional," says Dziena. "We also had a really fun time defining the character by the outfits she wears. She has very expensive taste, so I got to wear things I couldn’t afford to buy." "We wanted to make Gemma as outrageous as we possibly could, in contrast to Tess, who is more sporty and practical. We could get very creative, even with Gemma’s swimwear, like that red-stripe suit with the suspenders, which just jumped out at me. It was perfect for the character, so we dropped everything else and put her right into it," 2004 Oscar winning Costume designer Ngila Dickson ("LOTR: The Return of the King") said. As you'd expect, where there's treasure involved, there's also the bad guys. Kevin Hart was cast as bad guys boss, Bigg Bunny. "Bigg Bunny was making it in the music industry, but once he did all there was to do, he decided to invest his money in an island. Bigg Bunny bought this island. It's his, and anything on it, under it or around it is his. That's how he feels," Hart said. Tennant notes that incorporating baddies into this style of film is all about balance. "It's a tricky business when you’re doing an adventure comedy like this because there has to be some danger and suspense, but the villainy can’t go too far. The tone has to be slightly skewed. Kevin Hart was perfect as Bigg Bunny because he is really funny even when he’s trying to be ruthless," Tennant offered. Big Bunny's henchmen Curtis and Cordell, are equally hapless and more likely to trip over themselves than trip up Finn. Brian Hooks and Malcolm-Jamal Warner were cast as Curtis and Cordell, respectively. Bigg Bunny may have plenty of money and power, but he does lack expertise. He turns to veteran treasure salvor, Moe Fitch, played by the star of "Sexy Beast", two time NBR Award winner ("The Departed" 2006 & "Last Orders" 2001) Ray Winstone. "You start out figuring Moe to be a bad guy, but people are not always what you perceive them to be. Moe must have seen something in Finn as a kid that he really liked, so he took him under his wing and taught him the game. But Finn, being very strong-headed and maybe lacking in morals at the time, disappointed him. It broke Moe’s heart in a way. But underneath, he still has a soft spot for Finn. It’s kind of like a father - son relationship," Winstone said. Winstone says he gained a great respect for those who dedicate their lives to uncovering relics of the past. "The people who devote their lives to salving and hunting for treasures have to be part scientist, part oceanographer, part gambler. And once you make your first find, you get a fever for it. If you love the sea and love exploring and love learning, it’s a great way to live." Tennant says, "The amount of jewels and riches that are still hidden under the sea is staggering. To uncover it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, but there are people who spend their whole lives trying. It’s a crazy bunch." "They say the earth is about sevent five percent water and ninety five percent of it is unexplored, so there’s a lot out there that has never been found," says McConaughey. The filmmakers original plan was to shoot "Fool's Gold" in the Caribbean, but the impending hurricane season, forced the filmmakers to change the plan. They eventually found everything they needed in and around Queensland, Australia. Filming took place in Port Douglas, Lizard Island, the Whitsundays and the Gold Coast. Production designer Charles Wood ("Get Carter") recalls, "a major part of my job was to capture the essence of the Caribbean." In an interview that took place during filming "Fool's Gold", Hudson, divorced from Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson, father of her three year old son, Ryder, who travelled to Australia with her, said there was a lot about Australia that she would miss when filming "Fool's Gold" ended. "I didn't realise I would come to Australia and eat such incredible food. Of course, if you go to Italy or France, you expect that. I thought Australia stood for good beer, good surf, good fun." McConaughey says he is "confident audiences will respond to the funny characters involved in the adventure-romance." Director Tennant describes his film as "a really big, fun movie with all the elements I would like to see in an adventure comedy". Synopsis

Ben 'Finn' Finnegan 'is an affable, modern-day treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queen’s Dowry: 40 chests of priceless treasure that was lost at sea in 1715. In his quest, Finn has sunk everything he has, including his marriage to Tess. Just as Tess has begun to rebuild her life, working aboard a mega-yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt, Finn discovers a vital clue to the treasure’s whereabouts. Much to Tess’ consternation, Finn maneuvers himself aboard Nigel’s yacht and, using his roguish charm, convinces the tycoon and his celebutante daughter, Gemma, to join him in the pursuit of the Spanish riches. Even Tess can’t resist the lure of finally uncovering the treasure. But they are not the only ones after the prize. Finn’s one-time mentor, Moe Fitch, and a ruthless local gangster named Bigg Bunny are intent on beating Finn to the trove.

The Verdict "It's all meant to be good fun and in the end that's what "Fool's Gold" delivers. If you're looking for an Academy Award quality production, then forget it. Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson work well together, Donald Sutherland and Alexis Dziena (Lolita in "Broken Flowers"] are good fun to watch, as are the bad guys, who, try as they may, don't have any luck in killing of McConaughey's character 'Finn'. Queenslands gorgeous Whitsundays bordered by the Great Barrier Reef and cradled by the calm waters of the Coral Sea, substitute for the Florida coast. "Fool's Gold" doesn't demand much from an audience. As you'd expect, there's plenty of action, spectacular scenery, a splash of comedy and the usual 'double cross' that's mandatory in this style of film. Worth a look at. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "FOOL'S GOLD" stars .......
Matthew McConaughey ["How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", "Sahara" and "We Are Marshall"]; Kate Hudson ["Almost Famous", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", "Le Divorce" and "The Skeleton Key"]; Donald Sutherland ["Cold Mountain", "Pride & Prejudice" and "Reign Over Me"]; Alexis Dziena ["She's Too Young", "Broken Flowers" and "Sex and Breakfast"]; Ewen Bremner ["AVP: Alien vs Predator", "Match Point" and "Death at a Funeral"]; Ray Winstone ["King Arthur", "The Proposition" and "The Departed"] and Kevin Hart ["Along Came Polly", "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and "Scary Movie 4"] as Bigg Bunny.
"FOOL'S GOLD" was .......
directed by Andy Tennant ["Fools Rush In", "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Hitch"]; story by John Claflin ["Anacondas 2: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid"] and Daniel Zelman ["Anacondas 2: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid"]; art direction by Damien Drew ["Superman Returns"]; costume design by Ngila Dickson ["The Last Samurai", "The Lord Of The Rings 1, 2 & 3" and "Blood Diamond"]; production design by Charles Wood ["Rules Of Attraction", "Fly Boys" and "Amazing Grace"]; cinematography by Don Burgess ["Cast Away", "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" and "Enchanted"]; original music by George Fenton ["Mrs Henderson Presents", "Last Holiday" and "The History Boys"]. Who's Who?

Matthew McConaughey Kate Hudson Donald Sutherland Alexis Dziena Ewen Bremner Ray Winstone Kevin Hart Malcolm Jamal Warner Brian Hooks David Roberts Michael Mulheren Adam LeFevre Rohan Nichol Roger Sciberras

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Ben 'Finn' Finnegan Tess Finnegan Nigel Honeycutt Gemma Honeycutt Alfonz Moe Fitch Bigg Bunny Cordell Curtis Cyrus Eddie Gary Stefan Andras

Run Time 107 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.