Other People's Money

Reportedly, Jerry Sterner's original play had some real bite to it before Hollywood workhorse Alvin Sargent got ahold of it, and turned the story into a lame, utterly Hollywood formula picture. Danny DeVito stars as "Larry the Liquidator," a corporate raider with a taste for junk bonds and junk food (arguably, the film could be called a feature-length commercial for Dunkin Donuts). When he sets his greedy sights on the small company of New England Wire and Cable, run by the aging "Jorgy" Jorgenson (Gregory Peck, having to deliver embarrassing dialogue like "you little sonofabitch" for most of his short scenes), it looks like Larry will add an easy addition to his headhunter trophy case. But then he's confronted by lawyer Kate Sullivan (Penelope Ann Miller), whose mother (Piper Laurie) just happens to be Jorgy's personal assistant and companion. Small world. And speaking of small worlds, it's a little hard to swallow the evolving love affair between the diminutive Larry, who's long on one-liners but pretty short on compassion and most other human feelings, and golden girl Kate, a vacuous model-type. The only spark in the film comes at the very end, when Larry gives a speech to the threatened company's stockholders, explaining that it's a dog-eat-dog world out there and New England Wire and Cable is about to become the next course. Otherwise, Other People's Money is just another one of those vastly overrated crowdpleasers that are neither funny nor intelligent. Not recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review--March 22, 2005--Warner, 101 min., R, $14.98--Making its second appearance on DVD, 1991's Other People's Money is presented with a good widescreen transfer and a solid Dolby Digital surround soundtrack, but no extras other than a trailer. Bottom line: this still-lame comedy may be worthy of other people's money, but not yours.]