The Brass Teapot Movie Review

The Brass Teapot (2012)

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Written by: Tim Macy (screenplay), Ramaa Mosley & Tim Macy (story)
Directed by: Ramaa Mosley
Starring: Juno Temple, Michael Angarano, Alexis Bledel, Billy Magnussen, Alia Shawkat, Bobby Moynihan, Jack McBrayer
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
When a couple discovers that a brass teapot makes them money whenever they hurt themselves, they must come to terms with how far they are willing to go.

Verdict
It's an entertaining idea that puts a spin on genies and such, but the idea can't sustain the movie. Being predictable isn't a problem, but this cranks it up to eleven when the story runs out of steam. That doesn't make it more interesting. The conclusion is rather bland. I wish this put more thought into the story and how something like this could have long term effects on a relationship.
Skip it.

Review
I like the introduction as we get a montage showing the brass teapot throughout history in paintings, tapestries, and books. It's changed the fortunes of many people it seems. This movie is a play on the genie and lamp with a twist.

I had forgotten I had seen this movie which may speak to how memorable it is. A young couple, Alice (Juno Temple) and John (Michael Angarano), struggling to make ends meet discover a teapot that provides money when they injure themselves. If anyone needed a genie, it's these two. It's a fun premise with the moral question of how far do you go? Do you play it safe or go all out for a big pay day?

Michael Angarano, Juno Temple play John, Alice

I wondered why Alice stole the teapot in the first place, but people just seem to be drawn to it. That certainly aids the plot as this is rather light. They do a lot of dumb things to make money. Each time they experience pain, money appears in the pot. I wondered how they would explain the money, but they state they'll just hide it.

Alice and John make friends with people they don't really like. They want to live the American dream of hedonism, but it looks like the moral of this story will be that money doesn't buy happiness. They're part of the rich crowed, but they don't like those people. This keeps progressing, and while they state they won't let it get too far, it keeps going farther than they think it would. As they get greedy the payout becomes less. This also introduces a convenient twist where the pain of others creates money. That's a fair amount of plot contrivance, and this keeps finding new ways to fill the pot. 

You could see from the beginning that the payoff would come at a cost. It's a neat idea, but this movie runs out of steam. A larger question this could explore, and it really needs to pick something to explore, could be whether money makes you a bad person or reveals who you are. This movie isn't concerned about asking deeper questions.

Similar to the rush of getting paid, the feeling and payout becomes less as you experience it more. At first Alice and John were commodities and now everyone else becomes a commodity, a means to an end. I wish this had a more open ending, a hint that the cycle will continue as it's always continued. The movie went from slapstick to cruel quite quickly. It didn't have to. It could have explored how this teapot destroys people and relationships slowly but surely. John and Alice could have disagreed about how to approach the money just to provide some conflict. There's just not enough here.