Review: ‘Fool’s Gold’ on DVD

Fools Gold is a romantic comedy with breathtaking tropical scenery, but with little else to offer. Matthew McConaughey reunites with his How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days costar Kate Hudson as a soon to be divorced couple at each other’s throats. Benjamin Finnegan (McConaughey) is an immature treasure hunter looking for the lost dowry of the Queen of Spain, which supposedly sunk off of Key West during a hurricane. When Ben finds his first clue, he accidentally sinks his boat, which he co-owns with his wife Tess (Hudson). Tess was going to sell the boat and use the money to attend graduate school. Using Tess’s connections with a local millionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Southerland), the couple set out on their treacherous hunt for the Queen’s dowry. Added to the mayhem, Ben is being pursued by the local gangster for unpaid debts.

It was remarkable how Kate Hudson channeled her mother’s persona (Goldie Hawn) in this film, but Kate’s comedic abilities could not save this movie. The storyline was an unstructured mess. McConaughey’s acting was mediocre, he had lackluster chemistry with Hudson, and the only thing he had to offer was a hot body. Fools Gold is a poorly acted and written version of Romancing the Stone.

The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes featurette and a gag reel.

Rated PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, and language.

[rating: 2/5]