Cast: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Greg Kinnear
Creator: David E. Kelley
Number of episodes: 8
Star rating: ★★★
Margo (Elle Fanning) has more than just money troubles, and the new show does not waste any time showing us why. In the new Apple TV series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, based on the 2024 novel by Rufi Thorpe, Elle plays a rather impulsive and starry-eyed college student who is enamoured by her English professor Mark (Michael Angarano). It sure does not bode well, and soon enough, she is pregnant. What will she do now?
Margo’s Got Money Troubles review: Michelle Pfeiffer, Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman in a still from the show. (Apple TV+)
It is not that she has a lot to support herself. She is the only child of a Hooters waitress (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-pro wrestler (portrayed by Nick Offerman), both of whom are separated. She has to pay the rent too. Margo chooses to keep the baby and drops out of school (forcibly) to look after herself. Her roommate Susie (Thaddea Graham), who spends her days creating cosplay characters, is the only one to stay beside her.
To survive in this economy with no other choice
Margo's Got Money Troubles is not merely about the fascination with the way OnlyFans works, as the initial episodes hover around the protagonist who begins to see the reality she has put herself in. Yes, Margo will have no choice but to try OnlyFans, but the question is: why? Why is there no choice? The system is built not to protect or help her sustain her life as well as her baby, but to crush her. The rising rent, the college tuition she has to take out student loans for, and the broken healthcare system she cannot afford. Not to mention, as a young mother, she would need additional supplies to take care of the baby.
Movie Review
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
3/5
Margo's Got Money Troubles follows a 20-year-old college dropout who gets pregnant from an affair with her married English professor. To support her newborn and avoid eviction, she turns to OnlyFans.
Director
David E. Kelley
Cast
Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Greg Kinnear
The show really empathises with Margo and fuels her rage, her embitterment towards a deeply messy capitalistic society that runs on dehumanising and commodifying the self. But as Margo will realise, there are ways she can take agency over her choices and demystify her problems. Creator David E Kelley means business, but he also means a lot of fun and sparkly humour that thankfully saves the day from feeling bad for our young heroine. She stops feeling bad for herself first, and that infuses Margo with the commitment to do better for herself.
What works
Yes, it is sad and dark to survive this economy, but amid all the despair, Margo fortunately finds some route to provide for herself. And as she creates an OnlyFans account to rate d**k pics of subscribers, the epiphanies take a backseat to give way for gentle parody. I felt the balance was just right, carefully avoiding moralising Margo and just letting her be. The tone is never judgmental of Margo. Elle Fanning, fresh off an Oscar nomination, gives it her all in a charismatic performance that feels fully lived-in, from the restlessness of a young mother breastfeeding her child to the pent-up fury that unleashes once a custody battle is thrown at her.
When Nicole Kidman appears (in a new wig, no less) as Lace, a former professional wrestler, the show gets a little predictable, and I could not help but wonder what her presence adds to the show. Margo's rage aside, Kelley grants enough time to the supporting cast as well, with a spectacular showcase for Pfeiffer in particular. She is arranging her own life in parallel to Margo's and cannot help her as much as she can help herself. The actor sparkles on screen as someone who has always had to fight for herself because of the choices she has made.
But choices have consequences, and Margo had better face them one last time. The show tends to slow down in the later episodes and gets a little too predictable in how it resolves the tension. For instance, Jinx learns about Margo's work and is offended, but this is soon forgiven in the next few scenes after he realises he should not judge her. These little instances show a lack of breathing room for real complexity between these human beings. Not all grievances and disappointments need to be solved; some remain, and that's okay. Even if the premise is rather bold, the show is somewhat conventional and far more cautious. In place of discomfort, Margo's Got Money Troubles chooses sentimentality. Still, with its refreshingly frank depiction of a woman's choice of sex work, and a radiant family drama at its core, Margo’s Got Money Troubles keeps the viewer invested in her journey till the end.
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’.
A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own.
Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience.
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