Sandy Kenyon: Suspend disbelief, and you'll enjoy 'Money Monster'

NEW YORK (WABC) -- George Clooney and Julia Roberts are back on the big screen this weekend in a can't miss film called "Money Monster."

But is the all-star pairing worth your money?

Clooney plays Lee Gates, a slightly exaggerated version of the self-appointed gurus so popular on cable, and the ups and downs of the stock market make for good entertainment until one of Lee's on-air tips turns sour for a guy from Queens.

So he shows up at his studio to hold him accountable.

The real crooks, viewers are told, are the "monsters" who move "money," but director Jodie Foster switches back and forth between such hardly-original commentary and the more thrilling aspects of her story.

Roberts has her best part in years and reminds audiences all over again why she won an Oscar for her acting.

Her character is called Gates' director in the film but actually performs the functions of his producer, just one of many small mistakes that add up to huge credibility gap. Also, all of the action rests on the angry guy getting past security in a way that hasn't been possible at a TV studio since 9/11.

Jack O'Connell more than holds his own against Clooney, and the action is interesting enough -- especially the finale in Lower Manhattan -- to disguise the fact that very little of this could ever happen in real life.

"Money Monster" holds the audience's interest, and it's a film for grown-ups at a time of year when those pictures are in short supply. And if you're willing to suspend disbelief, then you will be entertained.