Plot
Monty Capuletti (a play on the names of the feuding families from Romeo & Juliet---"Monty" for the Montagues, "Capuletti" for the Capulets) is a hard-living, heavy-drinking, pot-smoking, gambling family man who makes his living as a baby photographer. He loves his wife Rose but has a very tense relationship with his wealthy, snobbish mother-in-law, Mrs. Monahan, who runs a successful department store chain and hates the way Monty acts and lives. (The movie lightly touches on ethnic rivalry---Dangerfield's character is a stereotype of Italians often invoked by the Irish, while his wife's family represent the more puritanical, staid lace curtain Irish stereotypes).
The irresponsible Monty cannot even pick up a wedding cake for his engaged daughter Allison without fouling up. He and his best friend, Nicky, a plumber, are smoking marijuana while driving and an accident destroys the cake.
After Monty's mother-in-law dies unexpectedly, his family is in for an inheritance. Attorney Scrappleton reveals that Mrs. Monahan left a stipulation in her will that if Monty is able to curb his vices for a year by going on a diet and giving up drugs and gambling, he will receive $10 million. If not, the family gets nothing. Allison's wedding to the peculiar Julio goes off without a hitch, at least until the wedding night. The guys Monty would often drink and gamble with are also interested in whether or not Monty can really give up everything they did together, and are betting whether or not he will make it. Monty and Nicky go to the mother-in-law's department store and find awkward fashions and catering to a clientele which clearly do not include the likes of Nicky and Monty. Nicky then argues that it may not be worth it to Monty if this is the kind of atmosphere he will be exposed to, but Monty points out he must tough it out in order to provide for his wife and daughters, not just him. Meanwhile, the scheming Clive, right-hand man to Mrs. Monahan, does his best to undermine Monty's resolve so the money and department store can instead be left to him.
Monty ultimately reforms. When the entire year is up, he and the family celebrate aboard a boat. To his chagrin, though, Mrs. Monahan turns up. She had faked her own death, simply to persuade her slovenly son-in-law to straighten up. Ultimately, though, she gives the money to Monty on the basis he upheld her stipulation. Now rich, Monty and his family live in a mansion. However, Monty hints the "clean living" clause has just expired as he kisses his mother-in-law good night, then proceeds to a hideaway to join Nicky and the men for pizza, poker and beer.
At about 1 Hour 3 minutes when Rodney is flipping through channels late at night he flips past his Miller lite beer commercial and you hear Ben Davidson tell Rodney (In the commercial), "All we need is one pin, Rodney".
Read more about this topic: Easy Money (1983 Film)
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