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Movie: Fool’s Gold * Official Site	On DVD: June 17, 2008
Runtime: 113 minutes	Directed by: Andy Tennant
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language	Gecko Rating:

Remember when romantic comedies used to be good? Just think about it. There was a period where it seems like every rom-com was a winner: Pretty Woman, Groundhog Day, Legally Blonde, and the list goes on and on.

Now it seems like they just throw two pretty people together, keep ‘em half-naked for most of the movie, and wrap it all around a dumb plot.

More after the jump, including a trailer…

That’s pretty much what we’ve got going with Fool’s Gold, which stars the charming Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson as a recently-divorced couple thrown together in a treasure caper.

McConaughey plays Ben "Finn" Finnegan, a good-natured, surf bum-turned-treasure hunter who’s obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queens Dowry, lost at sea in the 1700s.

He’s sunk everything he has — including his marriage to Tess (Hudson) and their boat (literally), aptly named Booty Calls. According to Tess, the sex was the best part of their marriage.

After the divorce, Tess tries to rebuild her life working aboard a yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland). When Finn discovers a vital clue to the whereabouts of the treasure, he finagles his way onto the yacht and gets Nigel to cough up some funds to go treasure-diving again.

But they’re not the only ones looking. Finn’s mentor-turned-foe Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone) also wants that treasure.

Sigh… I like Matthew and Kate, I really do. And they DO have great chemistry together (though I liked it better in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days). In one scene, they have spontaneous sex in an ancient church, then go poking around in an ancient cemetery for clues. Wham, bam, thank you, Ma’am!

But the writers must have spent about three minutes thinking up this lame plot. And you can just visualize the development meeting: “Let’s see, we need two nice-looking people. Ok, let’s get Matthew and Kate! And we need a crusty billionaire. Ok, let’s get Donald Sutherland! You know, whatever.

With all that charm and talent, I just wish the plot had a little more substance to it. I understand that romantic comedies are supposed to be light-hearted, but let’s throw something fresh into the mix.

DVD Extras: Flirting with Adventure - The Chemistry Between Two Charming Contemporary Stars; Gag Reel

Trailer:

Images: Fool’s Gold, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2008

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