CASH OUT
(director: Ives; screenwriters: Dipo Oseni, Doug Richardson; cinematographer: Alejandro Lalinde; editor: Marc Fusco; music: Yagmur Kaplan; cast: John Travolta (Mason Goddard), Kristin Davis (Amelia Decker), Lukas Haas (Shawn Goddard), Quavo (Anton), Noel Gugliemi (Hector), Chris Lindsay (Commander Cyrus), Victorya Brandart (Jennifer Tish), Joel Cohen (Richter); Runtime: 92; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Cecil Chambers, Joel Cohen; Saban Films; 2024)
“Better suited for the 1990s video market.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A generic crime drama, better suited for the 1990s video market. It’s directed by the male director with the alias of Ives, and is poorly written by Dipo Oseni and Doug Richardson.
John Travolta plays Mason Goddard, a world-class thief. The film opens with his girlfriend Amelia Decker (Kristin Davis), and his gang-Anton (Quavo), Hector (Noel Gugliemi) and computer whiz Link (Natali Yuri)-stealing a sports car worth over $20 million. Amelia then reveals she’s an undercover FBI agent who entrapped him and busts him and his boys. Mason’s feelings are hurt over his lover’s betrayal.
Mason escapes with his crew and lands on an island, hoping to retire. But he is pulled into a downtown Seattle bank robbery crypto scheme by his screw-up brother Shawn Goddard (Lukas Haas). The robbery is botched and hostages are taken, and Amelia is the negotiator (she seems to get around!). They still are attracted to each other, and she flirts with Mason during the negotiations.
The dumb plot (and I mean dumb) deals with whether Mason and his gang can beat getting arrested, and whether Mason and Amelia will resume their relationship.
By the time of the third act, a Special Ops force led by the volatile Commander Cyrus (Chris Lindsay) is dispatched to replace Decker and end the stand-off. Mason finds a way to turn things to his advantage-it’s that kind of film, with plot holes that are as large as the Pacific Ocean. Anyway, Travolta’s presence keeps it entertaining.
REVIEWED ON 4/30/2024 GRADE: C-