Money Plane

Last updated
Money Plane
Money Plane theatrical poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Andrew Lawrence
Screenplay by
  • Andrew Lawrence
  • Tim Schaaf
Story by
Produced by
  • Richard Switzer
  • Tyler W. Konney
Starring
CinematographyPasha Patriki
Edited byAustin Nordell
Music byDavid Bateman
Production
companies
  • Taylor & Dodge Entertainment
  • Dawn's Light Productions
Distributed by Quiver Distribution
Release date
  • July 10, 2020 (2020-07-10)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$586,443 [1]
Box office$618 [2]

Money Plane is a 2020 American action film directed by Andrew Lawrence and starring Adam Copeland, Kelsey Grammer, Thomas Jane, and Denise Richards. It was released to video-on-demand services on July 10, 2020, by Quiver Distribution.

Contents

Plot

Jack Reese, a professional thief and former gambler, attempts to steal the (fictional) Asger Jorn painting The Disturbing Duckling from an art museum with the help of his crew of Isabella Voltaic, Trey Peterson and Iggy. When Reese enters the museum, he finds out that the painting is no longer there and that he and his team have been compromised. They are forced to flee empty-handed.

Without any other options, Jack goes to confront notorious gang leader Darius "The Rumble" Grouch at his house, who hired Reese and his crew for the heist in the first place. Already in debt to Darius before the botched heist (and under the threat of harm to his family), Reese takes one more job from him to clear his debt: to sneak aboard the "Money Plane," an airborne casino that caters to elite criminals, in order to steal its reserves of cryptocurrency and hard cash. The night before embarking on the heist, Reese asks his best friend Harry Greer to keep an eye on his family while he is gone; Greer also offers to look into how the museum heist got compromised.

Jack and Trey board the plane under the guises of human traffickers Monroe and McGillicuddy while Isabella poses as one of the flight attendants. As the plane takes off, the Concierge and Bookkeeper welcome their guests, explaining the activities and amenities on board while informing them of the plane's zero-tolerance stance on cheating. After several hands of Texas hold 'em poker, Jack leaves Trey in the main gambling room to subdue the pilots and take control of the plane. While Trey improbably wins a series of games on the plane (including Russian roulette and betting on the outcome of a fight between a man and a cobra), Jack establishes contact with Iggy, who is on the ground to facilitate the transfer of the plane's cryptocurrency, as well as taking calls from Darius who demands to be kept in the loop with the mission and reminds Reese of the consequences should the team fail.

Isabella breaks off to secure the money in the plane's vault, getting into a fight with a guard whom she kills before he can blow her cover. Jack calls Harry while in-air, who reveals that the painting Jack's crew failed to steal was already owned by Darius and that they are being set up to fail. In too deep to back out, Jack and the crew elect to keep going with the heist while asking Harry to work on a "fail-safe" measure on the ground.

Trey and Isabella work on securing the server room where the cryptocurrency is stored, and Iggy establishes a secure link between him and the plane to start transferring the cryptocurrency. However, the team on the plane are attacked by two of the Money Plane's guests who caught wind of their actions, and Iggy is ambushed by assassins who are implied to be on Grouch's payroll. Trey and Isabella manage to fight off and kill their attackers, while Iggy is saved by a handgun-toting drone piloted by Harry. However, the servers have been damaged during the fight, forcing them to download the cryptocurrency onto a USB drive, which if used, would alert the Money Plane to the breach.

Harry guns down a team of assassins sent to Jack's home, while the team in the plane decide to not keep any of the money and instead donate it to charitable causes around the world, with special focus on those affected by guests of the Money Plane. Jack makes one final call to Darius, who is angered by the team's betrayal, but is stunned when Jack reveals he has played a clip of Darius stating his identity and his intentions to rob the Money Plane over the plane's radio, sealing his fate. The team escapes the plane via an emergency exit door while letting the cash money fall out of it, while the Money Plane has assassins sent to Darius' house to kill him.

Three months after the Money Plane heist, two warehouse workers in Istanbul open a painting shipping case only to find out that the artwork inside has been stolen and replaced. Back home, it is revealed that Jack and his crew have stolen The Disturbing Duckling and that the price has been driven up to 60 million dollars, which Jack has split up five ways between him, his crew and Harry, ensuring that they all have enough money to retire.

Cast

Production

Inspired by heist films such as Ocean's Eleven , airplane films such as Con Air , and their experiences in Las Vegas, producers Switzer and Konney turned to Andrew Lawrence. Lawrence proposed an airplane casino film, which Switzer and Konney agreed to fund after Lawrence wrote a screenplay. After securing Adam Copeland for the role of Jack Reese, the producers cast Thomas Jane as Reese's mentor. Kelsey Grammer was their first casting choice for Darius Grouch, though they did not expect him to accept the role. To their surprise, Grammer accepted, later saying that the role "seemed like a fun, mustache-twirling kind of character." [3]

Principal photography began in October 2019 [4] and continued through late December. [5] [6] After plans to film in Romania and Toronto proved unworkable, the production moved to Baton Rouge. The project's low budget and rushed schedule frequently required Lawrence to improvise and to adjust shooting based on which sets were available: "We were literally building the plane set while we were shooting ... We picked corners of the set that were built, and shot in those corners. We had to do that all the time," he said. [3] After post-production early in the year, the film was released in July 2020.

Reception

Money Plane received an overall negative critical reception. As of 10 October 2021, the film holds a 23% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews with an average rating of 3.6/10. [7] The Daily Beast described Money Plane as "the dumbest movie of 2020". [8] The Action Elite gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5 and called it "the kind of movie that will likely be forgotten about within a matter of weeks". [9] A review from Decider said that it was "the best and worst of what a bad movie experience can be". [10] Red Letter Media reviewed the film in extreme detail on an episode of Half in the Bag. [11] They derided its script, performances, and production value, conceding that the only positive is that it's "a new movie" amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelsey Grammer</span> American actor (born 1955)

Allen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor. He gained fame for his role as psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom Cheers (1984–1993) and its spin-off Frasier. At more than 20 years on-air, this is one of the longest-running roles played by a single live-action actor in television history. He has received numerous accolades including a total of six Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Tony Award. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000.

<i>The Ladykillers</i> (1955 film) 1955 crime comedy film directed by Alexander Mackendrick

The Ladykillers is a 1955 British black comedy crime film directed by Alexander Mackendrick for Ealing Studios. It stars Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, and Katie Johnson as the old lady, Mrs. Wilberforce.

<i>Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels</i> 1998 film by Guy Ritchie

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a 1998 black comedy crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, produced by Matthew Vaughn and starring an ensemble cast featuring Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Steven Mackintosh and Sting, with Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham in their feature film debuts.

<i>Down Periscope</i> 1996 American film

Down Periscope is a 1996 American military comedy submarine film directed by David S. Ward, produced by Robert Lawrence, and starring Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, and Rob Schneider along with Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. Macy, and Rip Torn in supporting roles. Released by 20th Century Fox on March 1, 1996, the film focuses on Lieutenant Commander Thomas Dodge, a capable U.S. Navy officer who fights to save his career after being saddled with a group of misfit seamen who have been brought together as the crew of his first command, USS Stingray, a rusty, obsolete World War II-era diesel submarine that is the focus of a special naval war game, supervised by a bitter rival who is fighting to bury Dodge's career by any means necessary.

<i>Gone in 60 Seconds</i> (2000 film) 2000 American action film directed by Dominic Sena

Gone in 60 Seconds is a 2000 American action heist film starring Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Christopher Eccleston, Robert Duvall, Vinnie Jones, Delroy Lindo, Chi McBride, and Will Patton. The film was directed by Dominic Sena, written by Scott Rosenberg, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The film is a loose remake of the 1974 H. B. Halicki film of the same name.

<i>The Big Bounce</i> (2004 film) 2004 film

The Big Bounce is a 2004 American comedy heist film starring Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Sara Foster and Morgan Freeman. It was directed by George Armitage and based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. Leonard's novel had previously been adapted for the big screen in a 1969 film of the same name directed by Alex March and starring Ryan O'Neal.

<i>Heist</i> (2001 film) 2001 film by David Mamet

Heist is a 2001 American heist film written and directed by David Mamet and starring Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and Delroy Lindo, with Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay and Sam Rockwell in supporting roles.

<i>The Great Muppet Caper</i> 1981 film directed by Jim Henson

The Great Muppet Caper is a 1981 musical heist comedy film directed by Jim Henson and the second theatrical film featuring the Muppets. The film stars Muppet performers Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Steve Whitmire, as well as Charles Grodin and Diana Rigg with special cameo appearances by John Cleese, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, and Jack Warden. The film was produced by ITC Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company and distributed by Universal Pictures. In the plot, the Muppets are caught up in a jewel heist while investigating a robbery in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Lawrence (actor)</span> American actor, singer and filmmaker

Andrew James Lawrence is an American actor, singer, podcaster and filmmaker. He is known for his roles as Andy Roman in Brotherly Love and T.J. Detweiler in Recess. Outside of his acting and music career, Lawrence made his directorial debut with the 2020 film The Office Mix-Up.

<i>Bend of the River</i> 1952 film

Bend of the River is a 1952 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Julie Adams, and Rock Hudson. Based on the 1950 novel Bend of the Snake by Bill Gulick, the film is about a tough cowboy who risks his life to deliver confiscated supplies to homesteaders after gold is discovered in the region. Bend of the River was filmed on location in Sandy River, Mount Hood, the Columbia River and Timberline, Oregon. This is the second Western film collaboration between Anthony Mann and James Stewart.

<i>Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby</i> 2006 American sports comedy film

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American sports comedy film directed by Adam McKay who co-wrote the film with Will Ferrell. It features Ferrell as the titular Ricky Bobby, an immature yet successful NASCAR driver. The film also features John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch, and Amy Adams in supporting roles. NASCAR drivers Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. appear in cameos, as do broadcasting teams from NASCAR on Fox and NASCAR on NBC.

<i>My Blueberry Nights</i> 2007 film by Wong Kar-wai

My Blueberry Nights is a 2007 romantic drama film directed by Wong Kar-wai, his first feature in English. The screenplay by Wong and Lawrence Block is based on a Chinese-language short film written and directed by Wong. My Blueberry Nights stars Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn, Rachel Weisz, and Natalie Portman.

<i>Takers</i> 2010 American film

Takers is a 2010 American heist action thriller film directed by John Luessenhop from a story and screenplay written by Luessenhop, Gabriel Casseus, Peter Allen, and Avery Duff. It features Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, Tip "T.I." Harris, Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, and Zoe Saldana in an ensemble cast. The film was released on August 27, 2010.

<i>Boss</i> (TV series) American political drama television serial

Boss is an American political drama television series created by Farhad Safinia. The series stars Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, the mayor of Chicago, who has recently been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a degenerative neurological disorder.

Richard Switzer is an American film producer..

<i>Widows</i> (2018 film) 2018 heist film directed by Steve McQueen

Widows is a 2018 neo-noir heist thriller film directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn and McQueen, based upon the 1983 British television series of the same name. The plot follows four Chicago women who attempt to steal $5 million from the home of a prominent local politician in order to pay back a crime boss missing money stolen by the women's husbands before they were killed in a botched getaway attempt. A British-American co-production, the film stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki in the title roles alongside Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson in an ensemble supporting cast.

<i>Army of Thieves</i> 2021 heist film by Matthias Schweighöfer

Army of Thieves is a 2021 heist comedy film directed by Matthias Schweighöfer from a screenplay by Shay Hatten, based on a story he wrote with Zack Snyder. A prequel to Army of the Dead (2021), it is the second installment in the Army of the Dead franchise; the film stars Schweighöfer, who reprises his role as Ludwig Dieter, alongside a supporting cast that includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O. Fee, Stuart Martin, Guz Khan, and Jonathan Cohen. Filming began in Germany and the Czech Republic in October 2020, and concluded by December 2020.

Jason C. Cherubini is an American film producer, business professor, and consultant. He is a visiting professor at Nordakademie.

"Blunt" is the 16th episode of the fourth season of the American television drama series Person of Interest. It is the 84th overall episode of the series and is written by co-executive producer Amanda Segel and executive producer Greg Plageman and directed by Frederick E. O. Toye. It aired on CBS in the United States and on CTV in Canada on February 24, 2015.

References

  1. ↑ "Fastlane NextGen: Initial Certification Search" (Type "Money Plane" in the search box). Louisiana Economic Development. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Money Plane". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 Siegel, Alan (July 14, 2020). "The Oral History Of Money Plane". The Ringer. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ Copeland, Adam (October 25, 2019). "Who is this rugged man in a sharp suit…". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  5. ↑ Copeland, Adam (December 19, 2019). "Wrapping out 2019 by wrapping up this extremely fun project…". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  6. ↑ "Money Plane - Thomas Jane - Raw Board". Raw Studios Forums.
  7. ↑ "Money Plane (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Schager, Nick (July 8, 2020). "'Money Plane' Might Be the Dumbest Movie of 2020". The Daily Beast . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  9. ↑ Friel, Eoin (July 9, 2020). "Money Plane (2020) Review". The Action Elite. Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  10. ↑ O'Keefe, Meghan (August 5, 2020). "Kelsey Grammer is the Best Part of 'Money Plane,' the Zaniest Summer Movie of 2020". Decider. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Half in the Bag: Money Plane". YouTube .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.