For most of its 100-minute runtime, Money Monster is on the verge of becoming a truly great satire.

An intimate hostage situation explodes into a media circus that feels like Network as written by Charlie Brooker, while George Clooney’s smug stock market pundit talks about “quants” and “algos” like he’s just walked off the set of The Big Short.

What’s missing here is the feeling of genuine anger and bewilderment that TBS had about the incomprehensible means through which people deal in obscene amounts of money. The stand-off could have just have easily taken place during The Great British Bake-Off.

Still, while it may fail to reach its loftier ambitions, Money Monster is a tightly controlled and highly entertaining thriller with a standout performance from Jack O’Connell at its centre.

RATING: 3/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Jack O’Connell, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, Caitriona Balfe

DIRECTOR: Jodie Foster

WRITERS: Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore, Jim Kouf

SYNOPSIS: Financial TV host Lee Gates (Clooney) and his producer Patty (Roberts) are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor (O’Connell) takes over their studio.