Credits Director : Andy Tennant Starring : Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Ray Winstone Our Score :

By Guy Davis

Could a movie be more aptly titled than ''Fool’s Gold''? Like the not-so-precious metal of the same name, it looks shiny and pretty enough to lure you into thinking it might have some value...but it’s actually pretty much worthless.
A romantic comedy clumsily conjoined to an adventure romp involving deep-sea treasure, it exists mainly as a vehicle for the supposed chemistry between blonde, bronzed stars Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson – a chemistry apparently carried over from their previous rom-com hit ''How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days'', a movie I have close to no memory of.

Put it this way, these two are no Hanks and Ryan. Heck, they’re not even Hanks and Hooch.

The fact that the pair come across as smug and self-satisfied (in his case) and downright disinterested (in hers) mightn’t be a huge problem if ''Fool’s Gold'' told a ripping yarn to compensate. Sadly, not the case.
Instead, it’s a tepid tale of ne’er-do-well treasure hunter Finn (McConaughey), who ropes his ex-wife Tess (Hudson) into one last search for a legendary Spanish galleon with a hold full of gold.
Finn’s quest to track down this treasure cost him his marriage to the more level-headed Tess. But not only does she find herself joining her ex on his expedition - her moneybags boss (a suave cameo from Donald Sutherland) ends up bankrolling the whole shebang.
You see, Finn has found a clue that he’s sure will lead him to the galleon and its riches. But he’s not the only one with his eyes on the prize – a fellow treasure seeker (Ray Winstone) is on the trail too.
Wacky stuff ensues, if by wacky you mean people repeatedly getting hit in the head with shovels or knocking over a lot of furniture in the process of getting intimate. It’s that kind of movie.

It’s harmless enough, that’s true, and you probably won’t feel too short-changed if you catch it on a Saturday night after a nice meal. But there’s no there there, if you know what I mean. There’s no memorable lines of dialogue, no outstanding action scenes, no sparkling moments between the stars. ''Fool’s Gold'' just happens, and then it’s over.
That said, McConaughey does get his shirt off a lot. (But when doesn’t he?) If that appeals to you, have at it.