“Money Monster” (2016) is directed by Jodie Foster, written by Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf, and Jamie Linden. The film had its premiere at Cannes but ended up receiving mixed reviews. It is yet another hostage thriller, but it also strives to be a commentary on modern finance and the media. Starring George Clooney as TV host Lee Gates and Julia Roberts as his show director, Patty Fenn, the film dramatizes how ordinary people can lose everything while big tech corporations hide behind technical jargon like “glitches” and “algorithms.” By turning a live broadcast into a stage for public anger, “Money Monster” aims to expose the fragile trust between investors, media, and Wall Street, where high-stakes trading often leaves working people in ruin.
Money Monster (2016) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
Walt Camby (played by Dominic West) is a trading pioneer and the CEO of IBIS Clear Capital, whose stock inexplicably went haywire. Camby is one of the first to tap into the market potential of high-frequency trading. He addresses the press, claiming that the crash was due to an anomaly in the algorithm. The people who invested in IBIS shares are left distressed and defeated. One of those who lost everything is Kyle Budwell, who takes TV host Lee Gates hostage during his live show and forces him to wear a bomb vest. Kyle demands answers for the glitch from Camby, but Camby cannot be tracked or contacted since the crash. Patty becomes Gates’s only line of support. What unfolds next is the heart of this 2016 crime thriller.
What is the point in threatening Gates?
Kyle believes he lost his money because of Lee Gates. While no television show explicitly endorses personal investment suggestions, in reality, most commoners place their hopes in the real world based on what they hear on TV. Likewise, Kyle—who had $60,000 from the sale of his mother’s house after her death- invested all of it into IBIS shares, only to lose everything. His frustration pushes him to threaten Gates on live TV. Gates had promised his viewers that IBIS Clear Capital, which went public 11 months earlier, is a safer and better alternative to bonds, IRAs, or savings accounts in his show called Money Monster. Those words from Gates fuelled Kyle’s confidence and led him to buy the shares. When IBIS lost $800 million, Kyle felt deeply betrayed by Gates.
Money Monster (2016) Movie Ending Explained:
Where was Camby?
The CCO of IBIS, Diane Lester, did not know Walt Camby’s full plans. She initially believes that he has gone to Geneva after the stock collapse to investigate the reasons, but she later realises he has actually gone to South Africa after going through his passport. Not only does Kyle feel betrayed by Camby, but so does Diane Lester—especially since she is having an affair with the married Walt Camby. She secretly goes through his messages and shares her findings with Patty.
Was it really a glitch?
Soon, everyone learns that Walt Camby bribed the South African mining union. He planned to buy off the union and orchestrate a two-week strike, which would lower the Kudu Platinum mine’s stock value. If successful, this would allow Camby to purchase the mine at a very cheap price. Then, once he called off the strike, the stock price would surge, and he could sell at an enormously high margin. A multibillion-dollar profit scheme. But Camby’s plans backfired when one of the union leaders refused to break the strike. Camby even attempted to bribe Moshe Mambo, the union head, to stop the strike, but Mambo refused. This refusal caused IBIS’ stock to plummet, collapsing under the weight of its failing position in the company. It was not a computer glitch after all.
What happens to Kyle?
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Once Kyle runs out of options to escape, the police track down his pregnant girlfriend. They bring her to the TV station and make her call Kyle. She is devastated to learn that her boyfriend gambled away all their money and is now live on air, in front of the entire world, with no idea what the outcome will be. She no longer wants him in her life. Kyle is devastated on live television. Gates, however, understands Kyle’s vulnerability and even goes against the rescue team’s tactical plan to save him. Both Kyle and Gates walk out of the building together and head into the streets to confront Walt Camby in person for an interview—this time, Gates is the one steering the situation instead of Kyle.
Once Kyle and the public learn about Camby’s scheme and the truth behind the so-called “glitch,” Kyle removes the bomb from Lee Gates and straps it onto Camby. Gates, who already knows the bomb is nothing more than clay and wires, understands why Kyle makes Camby wear it. Kyle wants Camby to admit what he did—that he alone is responsible for everyone losing their money in IBIS on TV. After Gates is freed, Kyle points a gun at Camby, forcing him to confess his wrongdoing in front of everyone. Camby finally admits his guilt. Only Kyle and Gates know the bomb is fake. Out of options and with nowhere to turn, Kyle throws the detonator at Camby. The police and onlookers, unaware that the bomb is not real, panic. In the chaos, Kyle is shot. He dies at the end.
Money Monster (2016) Movie Themes Explained:
The film raises important questions, much like “The Big Short (2015)”. Unlike the latter, this doesn’t fully land on its subject and doesn’t fully entertain even as a thriller. Yet, this is the kind of Hollywood film the majority audience would accept as a TV movie. Back in the 90s, movies of this sort might even have been Oscar-nominated. Beyond the stocks and the way capitalism and consumerism affect the average middle-class workers, the film also unconsciously comments on relationships between co-workers. This is TV, the showbiz world—far more dangerous than the corporate world. And yet, the way we cooperate with co-workers becomes crucial when the moment of need arises.
Respect and Understanding
Gates is super popular, wealthy, and probably has the freedom to get married multiple times and live peacefully without ever knowing what his kid is up to. But when the hostage situation unfolds, only a few people choose to stay, knowing they could be killed or blown away. Maybe they aren’t truly interested in saving Gates’s life more than their own, but still, they do. Before this unforeseen incident, Patty had even considered quitting the company due to his non-caring behaviour. Gates, at first, seems oblivious and indifferent. But after enduring the entire ordeal, he finally comes to realise the importance of his co-workers and confesses his emotions.
This might just be another layer added to make the film more engaging, maybe not even a proper subplot—yet it underlines that the trust built among co-workers is essential, not only for practical support but for emotional survival as well. If we could respect others and genuinely understand them in workspaces, communication between us would improve, resolving many issues long before they could ever evolve into real problems. Many of us face struggles in our daily work lives, but offering a hand in moments of distress and showing respect to those around us would ultimately benefit both sides.
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