For Love or Money (2019) User Reviews

A one-time watch! Enjoyable enough!

[Thinker365 · 7/10 · 21 February 2021]

I've rounded up to a 7 because I think the one star reviews are a joke. In my book, this is significantly better than plenty of the generic Hollywood romcoms produced, and far better than 90% of the stuff produced by Hallmark or Lifetime, and it has clearly been done on a relatively low budget.

Having said that, if you generally enjoy those types of movies and look forward to that stereotypical formula, then this will likely not be for you. If you are bothered by a little bad language and offended by a priest professing to be an atheist, then this is not for you. If you have a problem with absurdity, then this is not for you.

The best things it has going for it are its short runtime, its plot which moves along quickly, and its decision not to conform to type. There are a couple of funny moments and a couple of heartfelt moments, though its quality varies when it leans into the absurd. It likely won't appeal to an American audience because its scenes aren't written to build to a laugh.

There is likely a much better film in there somewhere but it would require a serious rewrite. Almost all of the scenes would need to be funnier and the character relationships and interactions put on more solid footing. Having said this, I liked most of the characters, the acting was solid enough, and I didn't mind the ending.

It is worth a one-time watch but I'd be unlikely to make any effort to watch it again. Could have much been better, could have been far worse! 6/10

Surprisingly funny

[aleksey-88584 · 7/10 · 12 December 2019]

Production quality isn't hollywood level, but suprisingly well edited and acted out. Very enjoyable to watch and has real laughs in it. wouldn't mind watching it again.

Fun movie

[dwremy · 5/10 · 13 September 2019]

For Love or Money is fun to watch. It's a great twist on the "revenge on the goldigger" story. Fun performances by Robert Kazinsky, Samantha Barks, Tony Way, Rachel Hurd-Wood, and the wacky performances of Anna Chancellor, Ian Kaye and Tanya Reynolds were great scene stealers.

This movie isn't perfect, but it does generate some good laughs. The ending is just ok, but at least it's more realistic than most movies in the romcom genre. Don't rush to see it, but it's not a bad Netflix date movie.

Ok movie, but--

[pausebreak · 6/10 · 11 December 2019]

Was this written by an 8 year old?! Atheist comedies are a dime a dozen these days, but most still exert effort to justify their take on the subject. Whether you call that education or simple expression, it's there. Even entertaining at times. But this one just wants to be an atheist movie with all the wit of a grade schooler. Lazy writing that just ruins the fun.

what we do for love

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 15 February 2022]

Not to be confused with the michael fox one from 1993. Growng up, mark (robert kazinsky) has always admired connie (samantha barks) from afar. So when she makes moves on him as an adult, he proposes right away. The viewers can see that she's just a gold digger. Mark's housemate can see it. But will mark figure it out in time? It gets a little painful to watch when they are being mean to each other, but oh well. The minister steals the show, with his fussing and cussing. Fun little adventure. On the roku channel. Directed by mark murphy.

Honest truth

[joey_andre114 · 3/10 · 3 October 2019]

This film had potential to be great. I fell for the character as he was this damaged, bullied kid, who was in love. He made a promise to always be kind and somehow in the mix of the film I said, out loud, what the fudge are you doing man? The lead you to think he will go with the old best friend and then have you think that she falls for him. I was waiting for him to stand up for her at parts, and show her that he isn't This movie could have went somewhere great. Yet I understand they didn't want it to be like the normal romantic movie. I was hoping it would but I was let down

I guess I don't have the same sense of humor.

[deloudelouvain · 2/10 · 22 July 2019]

First of all let it be perfectly clear that the reviewers that scored this movie with a perfect ten are fake reviewers. They all have just one review so it's pretty obvious somebody made them writing this as a favor. Any normal human being could see this movie is just a stinker. The story is very predictable but most of all very boring and annoying. It's one of those movies you wonder why they made it. Maybe with better actors it could go from really bad (what it is now) to mediocre at best. But the major problem are the actors, they are just bad. Robert Kazinsky (first time I saw the bloke if I have to be honest) is cringing to watch. When my wife told me he was in EastEnders I have to admit I was not surprised at all, as all failures of actors end up in sleezy soap series. The other 'main' character played by Samantha Barks looks also everything but professional. This movie is supposed to be a comedy but I didn't laugh once, and I can assure you there is nothing wrong with my sense of humor. And why do they need such an absurd title? The Revenger: An Unromantic Comedy or For Love Or Money, it doesn't matter which one, they are both stupid titles for a boring movie. Avoid at all costs.

I can't begin to describe how bad this is.....

[nitestar95 · 1/10 · 23 September 2019]

Every character is an unlikable loser. So if you like dumb, annoying people, dumb, unfunny jokes, an absurd story line, perhaps you'll like this. Perhaps it's for the juvenile audience, I don't know. But it's not for me. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else, either. If you're not paying to see it, why not give it a try. You can always turn it off, and do something more enjoyable, like hitting your head against the wall. All I can think of, is this was a way for some producers to lose money for some type of tax write off. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

Not what I expected

[cassidykruger · 9/10 · 16 March 2019]

I watched this purely because a friend who is also a massive Pacific Rim fan like myself recommended it because of Rob Kazinsky's facial expressions.

Within three minutes, I'd snorted more than once and spilled my drink. The movie was well-paced, full of snappy, truly funny dialogue and a total farce. I loved every second of it and have already started watching it again. The cast is totally on point, and you can tell they're having a great time. Half the extras break "Character" because they're too busy laughing and the faces that Sam and Rob make are priceless.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. The Dad's monologue at dinner alone is worth every second you spend leading up to it and the conclusion is priceless.

NOT EXPECTED!

[deenakurdas · 1/10 · 27 August 2019]

I did not care for the outcome of this film, it completely ruined the entire film. The rich man finds out his fiancee is only interested in his money, so he plays tricks on her, which are entertaining. Then he has her sign a pre-nupe...and she surprisedly does, so he suddenly and magically falls in love with her....but she backs out of the marriage...probably of a guilty conscious. But he is still in love with this idiot woman..... stupid ending leaves you hanging for you to decide...

Awful

[omareraso · 1/10 · 27 August 2019]

Spoilers! Maybe one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Maybe no, absolutely the worst movie ever seen. There are several scenes where a guy is trying to Pepe le pew this girl. It's so that on several occasions he tries to rape her as shes telling him no! it's supposed to be funny apparently. all the characters are incredibly unlikable. The protagonist has a best friend but his best friend considers him a "flat mate". doesn't even consider him a friend. Even if it's a joke it's poorly executed. This is supposed to be funny somehow, yet in all it is is sad. Pretty much the premise of the movie is to watch this woman get retribution from this guy what that she knew when he was a kid.We know that the girl is a Golddigger but do we want to see a person just get tortured like this for an hour and a half. The protagonist best friend doesn't even consider him a friend. This is supposed to be funny somehow yet all it is is sad. There's music with spoken word along with awfully long dialogue. Tammy is the dialogue bad you can barely concentrate on it because there are there is music with spoken word in the background. So which one do I listen to. I finished watching it just to say that I watch the worst movie ever,it's terrible don't waste your time. Oh yea to boot the best friend somehow gets raped by his in laws,Wedding Crasher style, except without the funny.

Offensively stupid

[tashikitten · 1/10 · 5 September 2019]

Offensively stupid. Hella misogynistic. Just awful, and not in a so-bad-it's-good way, just in a stomach-churningly un-funny way. Dreadful. Alcohol couldn't have improved it, but I do wish I'd had some drinks and live-tweeted while watching it because it was just... unbelievable. A spectacular failure on every conceivable level. Worse than the worst crappy Hallmark xmas movie.

It started of promising

[xabasihle · 3/10 · 1 February 2021]

It was terrible, it started of promising but somewhere in the middle it forgot what it was and took a turn for the worst

An enjoyable unromantic romantic comedy

[fandomfatale · 8/10 · 17 March 2019]

I really enjoyed this one. Romantic comedies are my favorite genre but I'm pretty particular, not as a critic but in terms of "I like what I like". This is not a formula romantic comedy, and it describes itself as an "unromantic comedy", but I think it still belongs in the category. It is definitely not an anti-romantic comedy in the style of (500) Days of Summer, nor does it subvert romcom expectations in the style of Forces of Nature or My Best Friend's Wedding, nor is it a parody or a deconstruction like the recent Isn't It Romantic. The latter is a good comparison for For Love or Money because both, when all is said and done, were essentially true romantic comedies despite not having conventional middle sections.

If you've seen the trailer, you know all you need to know and have not been misled. Mark (Rob Kazinsky) has had a lifetime crush on fellow schoolmate Connie (Samantha Barks). When they meet as adults at a funeral of a mutual acquaintance, he's still interested and Connie is still not interested. But she changes her mind when she learns that he's about to sell his app for a fortune and they embark on a whirlwind romance. Mark discovers, well into their engagement, that she is only marrying him for his money and decides to maintain the facade of the engagement and torture her instead of confronting and dumping her. This middle segment is really quite funny, and is a little reminiscent (in the best way and not in an imitative way at all) of How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.

If you were like me, the matter of how this situation is resolved is pretty important in terms of whether this movie is what you want it to be or not. It seemed likely to go two ways: either Connie learns a lesson and sees Mark in a new light and they are endgame, or Mark has a secret real love interest who isn't part of the premise - he gets his revenge on Connie and falls in love with someone else in the process. The movie teases the second option with Kendra (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and wants the audience to be unsure, but ultimately Mark really does love Connie and it plays out the way I had hoped it would: with Connie coming around after all this unromantic dysfunction to a new dynamic with Mark.

I figured I would lay that out for anyone who wanted to know which way it went before making the decision whether to watch it or not. I do think the movie ended too soon. It ends on a note of hope for Connie/Mark, inevitability really, but there's not a satisfying resolution yet. I definitely would have enjoyed another 10-15 minutes finishing their story, leading them into a solid, honest, real relationship.

Acting is good, production values are good. I do think it has some issues aside from the ending - for example, Kendra will be pretty pointless on rewatch, and there's way too much time spent on another schoolmate of Mark and Connie's who is Connie's co-conspirator. But overall I was very entertained and will watch again. I recommend it for rom-com fans.

Garbage

[xhidden99 · 2/10 · 22 September 2019]

First off you can't hear anything over the overbearing soundtrack. Second, everyone mumbles and third there is not a single laugh in the whole movie. Not a one.

Waste of money

[kuliknata · 2/10 · 21 June 2020]

This movie is like a poo in the beautiful wrapper. Beautiful landscapes and nature as a background for absolutely low-minded story. Motivation of heroes is so abnormal, I felt like someone has opened wards in asylum.

Not as Expected

[lilyjohnson-00402 · 4/10 · 3 April 2020]

The movie was not as per the expectations. The storyline could have been improved more.

Thoroughly enjoyable comedy with Ivan Kaye standing out as unrivalled highlight

[skutah · 10/10 · 17 March 2019]

British independent film 'For Love or Money' has been produced on a tight budget, but does convince with its beautiful photography, a pleasant atmosphere, plenty of funny scenes and with a great cast:

Tony Way (best man Tim) is extremely funny, the leads Samantha Barks and Robert Kazinsky portray the slowly growing human sensitiveness of their characters convincingly and Ivan Kaye stands out as the unrivalled highlight as Connie's father Patrick.

Always a scene-stealer, in this film Kaye shows his genius to impress even smaller characters on the audience by deploying an enormous range of acting skills within limited space. He masterfully switches back and forth between the promiscuous and bizarre touch of his character and its traditional and patriarchal qualities within seconds. Kaye's brilliance dominates every single one of his scenes making him the main focus in most unexpected moments. Even when he is positioned in the background, that is where the main fun is happening. As Ivan Kaye makes his first appearance towards the last third of the film, it is certainly true in this case that they saved the best for last.

It's just a pity that the happenings at the house of Connie's parents haven't been given more space as in my opinion the Failed Critics review correctly states that the film "jumps to a completely different level" once Ivan Kaye and Anna Chancellor (as Connie's mother Carol) appear on the scene.

Rachel Hurd-Wood as Connie's old friend Kendra has several great moments and although Ed Speleers sometimes overacts given the more restricted style of his castmates, his facial expressions are hilarious.

Some marginal, but recurring characters evoke extra laughs, not least David Hargreaves' somewhat quirky priest with his dry style.

All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable comedy film with an endearingly human undercurrent that results in an interesting turn at the end. Highly recommended to everybody who is looking for a slightly different type of "romantic comedy" and wants to laugh a lot.

Stellar cast and actually charmingly romantic

[irenehelenowski · 10/10 · 26 March 2019]

In For Love or Money, we are introduced to Mark and Connie who set out for a battle of wits as they race to the altar. Once the groom finds out Connie's devious plans with Johnny, he ups the stakes. The plans hit his soft spot, however, when they visit Connie's parents along with his flatmate, Tim, and her frenemy, Kendra. There, he can see the shenanigans her parents put her through, particularly with the hijinks they go with Tim. Mark feels sympathy for his bride-to-be's situation. Both Anna Chancellor and Ivan Kaye are brilliant in their roles as the lecherous parents, with Chancellor's character, Carol, as an out-of-control cougar and Ivan Kaye whose lifestyle is ambiguous, favoring both teams. Mr. Kaye's performance is a particular example of exquisite timing and on-point humor. The movie's ending proves to be of great satisfaction as well. This is one comedy not to be missed, especially for the stellar cast.

fun!

[lorisc-814-529761 · 8/10 · 27 March 2019]

Really enjoyed this one. Wasn't expecting much because I didn't know any of the actors but, boy, the dialogues are brilliant. Watched with my gf and we had a great time. Definitely a feel good movie. Highly recommended.

Have I laughed this hard in my life?

[supersweetchickpea · 10/10 · 16 March 2019]

This movie hit every note to perfection. I cackled from the word go all the way through, while still being 100% emotionally invested in all the characters and being captivated by the plot. Rob and Sam were fantastic and had me completely engrossed. Would recommend this movie to anyone and will be adding it to the top of my list of go to comfort movies for when I need a good pick me up

Good movie..

[kare-94972 · 8/10 · 15 April 2019]

Wasn't sure with the movie didn't think I would like it but it turned out to be a really funny movie a little sad at times shed a tear or two but otherwise funny movie

Loved it! Hilarious!

[jamesmullinger-1 · 10/10 · 28 March 2019]

I am a huge fan of many of the people in this film and I was not disappointed. Hilarious, thoughtful and surprisingly edgy. Brit comedy at its finest. Be sure to check it out. Writer / director Mark Murphy has done it again. I love his comedies and his horrors. Not many directors can master both genres but Murphy's 25+ years experience in the business are visible in every frame.

Unexpected quality!

[biffspeaks · 8/10 · 19 August 2019]

The story line seemed to be fairly simple but quickly took the course we expected than took another course which we did not expect. Bravo! Great acting from persons we did not know, but do now, great film work/scenery and a great laugh throughout without any need for hollywood toilet humor or stupidity. We greatly recommend this movie.

Have I laughed so hard in my life?

[supersweetchickpea · 10/10 · 18 March 2019]

Loved everything about this movie. Comedic timing was golden. Humour was on point throughout. Characters had me invested from the very first moment. I haven't cackled laughing watching a movie in a while and this kept me laughing the whole time while succeeding to tug at the heartstrings. Rob and Sam were both fantastic and I truly believed every moment of it. Would highly recommend to everyone and will be adding this to my comfort list of go to movies.