There are films you highly anticipate at the Cannes Film Festival, and then somewhat unexpected films that organizers on the Croisette seem to love. Not that we have anything against Jodie Foster’s “Money Monster,” starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jack O’Connell, but it sort of smacks of a preaching-to-the-choir self-righteousness that needs to be handled with utter finesse to work. But international festival organizers seem to relish when American filmmakers make scathing indictments of America (see Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” winning the Palme d’Or) and sometimes have funny ideas of what a good American film is (see Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”).
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And so while not officially confirmed by Cannes or Sony, THR reveals that Foster’s “Money Monster” — about a loudmouth financial TV show host taken hostage by a man trying to find out how he lost his money following the financial collapse — is set for Cannes. Considering that Cannes begins on May 11th, two days before “Money Monster” opens in the U.S., well, that’s a pretty perfect fit. Not to mention that Foster’s “The Beaver,” starring Mel Gibson, premiered at Cannes back in 2011. Strangely enough, it’s apparently not going to be the opening-night film, but “Money Monster” could screen the next day, one day before it opens in U.S. cinemas.
“Money Monster” also stars Dominic West, Giancarlo Esposito and Caitriona Balfe, and not unlike “The Big Short,” the movie uses the anger of the 2008 financial collapse as a launching pad to explore the have and have-nots and the economic-inequality epidemic in America. THR also says the new untitled 1930-set Woody Allen film starring Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart and more could also appear at Cannes — and considering Allen’s films are frequently in attendance, that feels like a strong bet. Meanwhile, a new “Money Monster” poster and promo photos are below.