The Money Pit

Like 1985’s otherwise forgettable Volunteers, The Money Pit is often elevated by the mere presence of Tom Hanks – as the actor delivers a performance that is, generally speaking, far better than the film actually seems to deserve. Hanks stars as Walter Fielding, a well-to-do lawyer who thinks he’s stumbled upon the deal of a lifetime in a lavish mansion that’s being sold well under market value. Along with his longtime girlfriend, Anna (Shelley Long), Walter moves into the home expecting to make a few minor repairs – though it doesn’t take long for the two to discover that the estate is riddled with complicated (and expensive) problems. With a supporting cast that includes Alexander Godunov, Yakov Smirnoff, and Joe Mantegna, The Money Pit is an affable (if entirely plotless) endeavor that’s generally as absurd and ridiculous as one might’ve expected. Overlooking the film’s needlessly sentimental third act, director Richard Benjamin does an effective job of piling on one comical catastrophe after another – most of which are enhanced by Hanks’ increasingly hysterical and appropriately broad performance. The end result is a decent ’80s comedy that benefits substantially from its star’s winning work, as the picture otherwise suffers from a palpable lack of compelling, engrossing attributes.

**1/2 out of ****