The Money Pit
Directed by Richard Benjamin
- comedy
- romance
The story
After being evicted from their Manhattan apartment, a couple buy what looks like the home of their dreams—only to find themselves saddled with a bank-account-draining nightmare. Struggling to keep their relationship together as their rambling mansion falls to pieces around them, the two watch in hilarious horror as everything—including the kitchen sink—disappears into the Money Pit.
What it’s like
Bright, cluttered 1980s studio comedy: warm tungsten interiors, sunlit rooms that go gloomy and dusty as the house deteriorates, and a steady stream of practical-effect disasters played out in fairly conventional, well-lit medium shots. The camera stays out of the way so the physical gags land, with broad slapstick rhythms, pratfalls, collapsing floors, flooding, and a soundtrack of bouncy 80s pop and comic stingers that keeps the mood breezy even as things go wrong. The vibe is chaotic but amused, a sitcom-adjacent romp where the house is the real antagonist and the couple's bickering is more teasing than bitter. Violence is absent; the mishaps are slapstick, with some mild peril and a few minor injuries played for laughs. Sexuality is light and the romance stays PG-level. Best for a lazy afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or anyone who has ever fought with a contractor and wants to laugh about it. Suits fans of old-school physical comedy who want something silly, warm, and easy to half-watch.
More films like The Money Pit
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved The Money Pit and we’ll explain which ones fit you.
