Counterfeiting in Suburbia

In a moment of weakness I watched this fluffy, unbelievable, wreck of a movie. The basic premise could work: teenage counterfeiters use their criminal skills to buy a bunch of expensive swag with phoney money. But the execution is often unintentionally laughable. The last time I watched a movie where I thought "that would never happen!" so often was Sharknado. Tweens may enjoy this, if only because every adult in the film is clueless, inept, or both.

This is a movie about criminality--the criminality of the writer, the director and the cast. What a turkey! The only urgency the viewer feels is the urgent need to flee (or to take an extended bathroom break) to avoid the tedium. If I didn't know better I'd suspect that this Canadian-made effort was intended purely to cash in on Can-con requirements and to grab as much government cash as possible. Oh wait...

This movie is something that would be good at your 14 year old daughter's sleepover. The two main characters are pretty static and predictable but the antagonists and supporting characters are entertaining especially near the end. The acting depicts teenagers how a 12-14 year old would think of teenagers which would explain why older people are less entertained. Not unlike the depiction of teenagers in riverdale. Also bonus points for attractive people.

Take Mad Money (2008), which isn't exactly a masterpiece, dilute its plot with gallons of water and you'll be left with something resembling this film.

Stereotypical, one-dimensional characters, a strange plot that's disjointed at best (and bizarre at worst) with a cookie cutter story of good guys dealing with financial woes and venturing into a life of crime to pay back the loan sharks (and banks).

And, of course, throw in a character who's there merely for the adrenaline rush. Just to spice things up a tad bit.

The reason I'm giving it 3/10 is because, at the very least, it wasn't exactly unwatchable. Probably because counterfeiting is something I've fantasized about as a cash strapped kid.

It's an invalid story, but for a lazy Monday I was able to turn a blind eye to the flaws and get through its 90 minutes. The one caveat that the two main teens discussed is not frequenting the same retailer or currency exchange place more than once. But you see the girls buying mass quantities of designer clothes on two occasions with fake 100 dollar bills (based on the old style bills that aren't currently produced) and the cashier doesn't raise any red flag. Most retailers at least swipe a pen for large bills. And any time you need currency exchanged, a valid photo ID is required.

But anyways, the movie is made-for-TV, so it's not a reflection of reality. Sarah Butler is a dimensional actress, and has that attractive physique. Just wanted to mention that.

The ending especially was a slap in the face.