Customer Reviews

Twenty Bucks [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've eagerly awaited the release of Twenty Bucks on DVD for several years, and am overjoyed that it's finally here. With so much schlock that gets shoveled onto digitial discs these days it's amazing that such a quality flick took so long.

Twenty Bucks is a series of disjointed vignettes, united by their involvement of the same twenty dollar bill. We follow the double-sawbuck from its initial withdrawal from an automatic teller up through its eventual end. The hapless bill gets shoved inside a fish, stuffed in a stripper's G-string, and used to predict the lottery. Along the way, it touches the lives of several diverse characters, portrayed by an ensemble cast that clearly enjoyed their work. Especially noteworthy are Christopher Lloyd and Steve Buscemi (who is required by law to appear in all of these sorts of movies) as an experienced criminal and his somewhat bewildered apprentice. Some characters appear for a single scene, while others lose the bill and then return to us when the bill returns to them, to tie up their storylines.

It's an enjoyable ride, funny at times, poignant at others, and it deserves a spot in every movie lover's media rack.

Coincidentally or not, it seems that I have been watching a lot of films lately that center around the main theme present in "Twenty Bucks". We are presented with a varied cast of characters and given insight into each of their very different lives, all the while being shown how they, and we for that matter, are all connected.
What seperates "Twenty Bucks" from other films with the same theme and makes it so good is its ability to vary moods quickly and seamlessly. The film does an excellent job of mirroring life by presenting such a wide spectrum of differing events and emotions. Like life, the film is whimsical and light hearted one moment, and tragic and melancholy the next, but never do these transitions seem forced.
Our actions carry repurcussions that affect other lives in ways we can never realize, even if that action is something as seemingly insignificant as a twenty dollar bill moving from one hand to the next. The deep question being asked of us of course is, "Is it all random or is there some underlying destiny that moves us along towards our fates?" Thankfully, "Twenty Bucks" does not attempt to answer that question. Instead, it merely presents us with life and all its triumphs and failures, sadness and joy, and disillusionment and enlightenment, and lets us decide the answer based on our own point of view...do you see these things as random events or is fate involved?

I have always thought that any movie with William H. Macy must be a great film (it's a benchmark that has rarely caused me dismay); once again William proves me right. Although Brendan Frasier has a prominent role, this film is creative, interesting and has some genius plot turns. This was on the "Bravo" channel a few weeks ago and I sure wish I taped it...too bad independant films go out of stock so quickly. If you can rent it -- do!

Amazing things about this movie: 1. everybody's in it but nobody's heard of it; 2. anyone will like it, including Great Aunt Matilda; 3. high watchabiltiy, that is, you can stand to watch it more than once in your life; 4. it's really, really good.

You know how you often want to replace the old VHS tape of one of your favorite movies with a crisper, more permanent DVD copy? In this case, mostly forget it. Why? Because the DVD is not true widescreen or letterbox at all. In fact, when you compare it to the VHS tape, which plays full screen on your TV, the VHS tape actually has way more picture information on it than the letterboxed DVD! The image of "Twenty Bucks" on DVD is, in fact, severely slashed off at the bottom (as well as slashed off slightly less so at the top) in some misguided attempt to make it look like a widescreen movie, with those blank black bars above and below and all. In reality, about one-third of the movie image is missing on the DVD, which is just the opposite of what you usually expect when a movie is finally transferred to disc. This is a cruel defacement of an independent film masterpiece originally backed by Robert Redford's Sundance people. One hopes that Mr. Redford's team could help get this charming film back into true format, with all the film image as shot back on display again. This DVD does contain, however, some good "extras" and featurette material in which you meet the director and screenwriters and other people behind the scenes. They do appreciate how worthy a successor they have made to the great "Tales of Manhattan" (a 1942 film), which used a tuxedo tails jacket rather than a twenty-dollar bill as the object passing from one person to another, creating a very funny and often heartbreaking anthology of stories. [Note: The actress Melora Walters plays two characters in "Twenty Bucks" -- the Stripper and, later, the Funeral Director -- and in each of her scenes she amusingly gets to say the one-word line, "Whatever."]

This is a series of short stories, detailing what happens to people holding a particularl twenty-dollar-bill as it switches from owner to owner.

Several of the segments are quite good, my favorites being with the holdup men: Christopher Lloyd and Steve Buscemi. (Now there are two interesting character-actors, for you!)

It's not "family fare," so beware of that if that is a concern, but overall it was a decent "rental" DVD. The cast is more interesting and deep than the story.

Love this story- had it on video- needed to be able to watch it again and agin- so happy it was out on DVD- great story- I love Linda Hunt in this....

I personally do not care for movies. My fiance loves them and recommend I watched this with him. He loves this movie so I gave it a shot. It was okay of a movie, but I could live without seeing it again. More like a rental movie or something to watch if nothing else was on the TV. The movie is about how this $20 lived it's life. It show many stories about the people using the money. Some of the stories last longer than others. Yet I find it odd how a $20 is always around the same people through out the movie. To me that doesn't seem realistic, but hey it's a movie. This is a decent price to pay if you just want the movie in your collection like my fiance did.

Silly movie but fun. Great value for the money Just make some popcorn and open a Mountain Dew and you'll be all set. Much cheaper than going to the show. ENJOY!!!!

I discovered this movie while looking for Brendan Fraser films. It's got a a very talended cast and interesting premise; following a $20 bill as it gets passed from hand to hand, floats on the breeze, etc. The stories of the people involved with this $20 bill are intertwined in a clever and plausible way. Definitely worth watching.