Monopoly Gets A Plot

Posted by sean in Latest News, Movies on November 13th, 2009

…and it’s not all about rolling dice. Well, not exactly. The LA Times had some intriguing plot details to reveal Wednesday, and I guarantee, Monopoly will not be what you were expecting.

Frank Beddor, best known as the producer of There’s Something About Mary, came up with the story that’s currently being turned into a movie at Warner – and the one that got Ridley Scott involved to direct the film. So after striking critical and box office gold with Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator, what could get the acclaimed filmmaker to join up with Rich Uncle Pennybags?

As it turns out, alternate dimensions and a little bit of metanarrative.

Beddor’s story, which will be written into a full screenplay by Pamela Pettler (Monster House, Corpse Bride), follows a “lovable loser” who is a failure at his job as a real estate trader, but excels at the useless, board game version – Monopoly. He tries to get some friends to help him break the world record for longest Monopoly game – over 70 days – but shortly after the game begins, they mock him mercilessly and leave him still holding a chance card. He’s a little disappointed he didn’t get to use it, and drops it on the floor before going to bed.

You see where this is going? I bet you’re starting to.

The next day, our hero wakes up, and the card is in his hand – hmm, that’s strange – and he goes to the store to get some coffee. He’s mortified to find he only has monopoly money in his pocket – but that’s okay, because the store accepts Monopoly money! He rushes outside to find he’s in Monopoly City, a strange alternate world that plays by the rules of the board game. From there, he’ll have to fight the evil Parker Brothers, as he moves around in this strange world and encounters all the “iconic imageries” of Monopoly – a sports car, a horseman, a Scottish terrier – hey, maybe we’ll even see a giant thimble in there somewhere.

Beddor says that Uncle Pennybags would also make an appearance, in a series of cameos. “You’re going to see him as the maitre d’ at the restaurant and he’s the buggy driver and the local eccentric and the doorman at the opera. There’s all these sight gags.”

Unfortunately, “sight gags” make up pretty much all I can see this concept delivering. Even with Ridley Scott involved, it’s a plot that clearly lends itself best to, as the Times points out, an effects-driven comedy like The Mask, Bedtime Stories, or Night At The Museum. I’d probably rather just play a game of Monopoly – at least then you get the fun of overturning the board when the game starts to suck.