Brewster's Millions (1985)
This is one of several adaptations from the novel of the same title. Richard Pryor plays the likeable Monty Brewster and Spike (John Candy) is his best friend. Both play Minor League baseball for the Hackensack Bulls.
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Brewster learns that his Great-uncle Rupert has left him a huge fortune in his will. However, there are unusual conditions attached. Brewster is given a choice: he can take $1 million straightaway or spend his way through $30 million over the next 30 days in order to get $300 million. He chooses the latter option. The conditions include not owning any assets at the end of the 30 days that he didn't own to begin with, and he's not permitted to tell anyone about the deal. Brewster enters a confusing and alien world of having lots of money. He hires staff, stays in a flashy hotel suite and makes bad decisions while gambling. Quietly, Spike invests some of Brewster's money and makes a profit. Brewster stands for Mayor and organizes an exhibition match between his team and the New York Yankees. All the spending and bad decisions means Brewster is broke. Also, Spike and others have become dismayed at Brewster's carelessness, as they see it. It transpires that Warren, an employee with the law firm handling the will has been bribed to see to it that Brewster does not succeed. Warren gives him some money, which had been supposedly spent, it's proved that Brewster has complied with the conditions after all and he inherits the promised $300 million.
Best part of story, including ending:
I liked a lovable character plunged into extraordinary circumstances
Best scene in story:
I liked the knockabout humor of the baseball match
Opinion about the main character:
In the end, he values friendship more than the money
