Money Movers is a 1978 movie directed by Bruce Beresford.
WHAT HAPPENS?
An armored car company is repeatedly robbed – often by those who work as security.
ONE LINE REVIEW
Money Movers is a lean, well-paced, authentic and funny Australian crime movie.
THE ACTORS
Terence Donovan stars as Eric Jackson, a security supervisor who masterminds an armored car robbery. Donovan is interesting as his character adopts a calming personality before turning into a ruthless robber. He contrasts well with Tony Bonner’s Leo, a new hire whose inexperience and love of poetry makes him a target. The cast is rounded out by the impulsive Bryan Brown, who portrays Eric’s brother Brian and Ed Devereaux’s Dick Martin, a former detective who foils the robbery.
THE DIRECTOR
Bruce Beresford creates a tight, well-paced crime narrative that gets all the little details right while adding some lighter moments. Throughout the movie, the actors getting robbed convey actual surprise, while the fighting and shootout scenes are sloppy and chaotic – echoing real life. The sequences where Eric fights off a group of thugs with his hands tied are both creative and stupidly funny.
THE BEST – End of the Line
The security business is not exactly glamorized here. Most of the characters fall into the job in similar ways: “I drifted into the security business – like a lot of rejects.” With the exception of a few veterans, the business is entirely corrupted by a group of thieves.
THE BEST Part Two – Eric’s Escape
After being caught by the real “money movers” – the crime bosses who co-opt his scheme – Eric has his hands tied and a toe removed via pliers. His clumsy yet incredibly effective escape is a highlight of the movie – as is the erratic interrogation that precedes the action.
THE BEST Part Three – The Final Shootout
Beresford puts together an effective final scene that sees the most corrupt of characters receive a fitting end. Devereaux’s Martin also gets a heroic sendoff in a unique action sequence.
THE BEST Part Four – Robber Masks
These get me every time….
THE WORST (and BEST) – The Pace
Beresford helms a quick-hitting pace that establishes the technical motivations and actions of the coming robbery. While the action rolls along, we tend to lose some valuable moments of character development. However, it’s a small complaint for such a well-done crime movie.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4.25/5
Money Movers is a unique offering that efficiently tells the story of a detailed robbery. It’s likely one of the better titles for its genre along with being a terrific bit of Australian filmmaking.
