You'd be forgiven for thinking that a movie called For Love Or Money would be a cute rom-com. It's not. It's definitely a comedy but with zero romance, exactly as is billed. The film opens with a young boy opening his heart, via a poem, to a girl he likes in school. Ridiculed for it, he soon finds himself on the wrong end of a beating.
Fast forward nearly 20 years and the same boy, Mark, is all grown up and at a funeral. The kid who beat him up has died and it just so happens that his grieving girlfriend Connie is the same girl from the schoolyard. Except she has no clue who Mark is. And she doesn't want to.
But things change quite quickly when fellow classmate Johnny (Ed Speelers) tells her that Mark (Robert Kazinsky) created an app that is being bought out for £20 million. Seeing her chance to cash in, Johnny and Connie come up with a plan. Knowing that Mark still likes her, Connie decides to date him. The end game is to marry him and take half of the £20 million.
Things start off well and as predicted Mark falls head over heels for Connie. Despite Connie (Samantha Barks) being thoroughly unlikeable, Mark can't see it. That is until he sees a text from Johnny and realises that he is being scammed. But instead of ending it, Mark decides to go a different route.
He decides to get revenge. Nothing crazy, just petty things to annoy Connie so much that she will eventually call it quits. But she doesn't. So will the two make it down the aisle? Will Connie get half of his money? Or will Mark finally get the message and dump her?
For Love Or Money is surprisingly funny. Despite being clearly made on a small budget, it's well acted with snappy dialogue. Rather than opt for some convoluted story, the makers kept it simple and realistic. The characters are a good laugh and the story moves along with a clear end in sight. Similar in comedy style to Destination Wedding another unromantic comedy so don't expect a Hallmark ending!
