Funny Money (2007) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Henry realized the briefcase contained money from criminal activity, £735,000 in used £50 notes. Rather than face potential complications with the police or criminals, he saw this as a chance to escape his mundane life and start fresh with Jean in Barcelona. He calculated that the briefcase owner would trace him by Monday morning, so he needed to disappear before then.

• henry barcelona escape
• stolen money
• briefcase money motivation

Mr. Nasty was the original owner of the briefcase containing the £735,000. He was killed by Mr. Big, his criminal associate, who disposed of his body in the Thames near Putney Bridge. The briefcase Mr. Big was searching for actually contained only a cheese and chutney sandwich, the real money was already in Henry's possession.

• mr nasty
• briefcase owner killed
• thames body

Davenport was a corrupt police officer who witnessed Henry counting the money in a pub. He initially approached Henry under the pretense of questioning him, but his true intent was to extort a cut of the money in exchange for his silence. When his corrupt nature was revealed, he forced his way into the escape plan as a self-appointed bodyguard.

• davenport corrupt cop
• police extortion
• money demand

Bill, the taxi driver Henry called to take him and Jean to the airport, had secretly taken one of the suitcases. While everyone was caught up in the chaos and Mr. Big's confrontation, Bill quietly kept the money stashed away. After the situation was resolved and Henry resigned himself to returning to normal life, Bill revealed he had the money all along, providing a bittersweet ending.

• bill taxi driver
• money hidden
• suitcase money

Jean was a lifelong teetotaler, but the overwhelming stress of the situation, her husband claiming they needed to flee the country, corrupt police arriving, mysterious phone calls, and the general mayhem, caused her to turn to brandy. Her drinking escalated as the night progressed and the confusion intensified, with her becoming visibly intoxicated.

• jean drinking
• teetotaler
• stress drinking

Officer Slater arrived at the Perkins home to inform Jean that her husband had been found dead, presumably a victim of the criminal underworld since Henry was last seen with a bag of money. However, Henry was actually alive and hiding in the house. To maintain his cover, he pretended to be his fictional brother Freddy, then later another brother named Archie, leading to increasingly absurd misunderstandings.

• henry dead
• police confusion
• slater officer

Mr. Big was a ruthless criminal associate of Mr. Nasty who controlled the criminal operation behind the money. He only spoke in monosyllables and was willing to kill to retrieve what was his. He pursued the Perkins home, demanding his briefcase back, having been injured in a car accident involving Bill and Slater. His arrival with a gun created the climactic confrontation that forced Henry to finally reveal the truth.

• mr big criminal
• briefcase
• armed confrontation

When Davenport arrived at the house, Henry panicked and introduced Vic and Betty as long-lost relatives heading back to Australia. This elaborate lie was part of Henry's desperate attempt to explain the suspicious circumstances to the corrupt officer. The misunderstanding was so convincing that it further entangled everyone in the web of deception.

• vic betty
• mistaken identity
• australian relatives

Henry viewed the money as belonging to criminals, probably drug dealers or other underworld figures, rather than innocent people. Since he believed the cash was already tied to illegal activity, he reasoned that keeping it carried no moral weight. This rationalization allowed him to plan his escape to Barcelona without guilt, seeing it as a legitimate opportunity to transform his tedious life.

• henry moral conflict
• criminal money
• rationalization

After Davenport's true nature as a corrupt officer demanding money was revealed, he needed to maintain his cover in front of the legitimate police (Slater). When Slater questioned the situation, Davenport went along with Henry's lie and was introduced as another brother named Archie. This allowed him to stay involved in the escape plan while appearing legitimate to the actual police.

• davenport archie
• fake brother
• police cover-up

"Barlecona" was the group's mispronunciation of Barcelona. This error appeared consistently throughout their planning for escape, from the flight arrangements to Betty's offer to accompany Henry as a travel companion. The constant mispronunciation added to the comedic confusion of the farcical evening.

• barlecona barcelona
• pronunciation
• escape plan