Throwback Alert: Lopez, Harrelson & Snipes Star in a '90s Classic

Long before Jennifer Lopez became a powerhouse in movies and music, she was just an aspiring dancer from the Bronx who made an impact as one of the Fly Girls on Fox’s In Living Color. Like many stars before her time, she paid her dues in a highly competitive industry, bouncing between dance gigs and small guest spots on television to showcase her acting talents. It was not until she landed the female lead role opposite superstars Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in the 1995 buddy action-thriller Money Train that Hollywood began to notice this unique talent.

Money Train was a reunion project for Snipes and Harrelson, who first shared scenes in the 1986 comedy Wildcats. When they reunited for Ron Shelton’s basketball dramedy White Men Can't Jump in 1992, audiences were instantly enamored by their unlikely chemistry as charismatic close pals. Though their third partnership in the Joseph Ruben blockbuster did not recapture lightning in a bottle, Lopez would stand out as the lone bright spot in an otherwise creatively inconsistent picture.

What Is ‘Money Train’ About?

Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and Jennifer Lopez hanging at a bar in Money Train.

Snipes and Harrelson trade the basketball court for the New York City subway system, playing decoy NYPD transit cops John (Snipes) and Charlie Robinson (Harrelson). Raised as foster brothers since childhood, John constantly has to bail out Charlie financially due to his excessive gambling debts, owing $15,000 to mob boss Mr. Brown (Scott Sowers). Meanwhile, the brothers are reassigned by their overzealous transit superior Donald Patterson (Robert Blake) to protect the city’s money train that carries subway fares on a routine basis. Working alongside John and Charlie is the new transit cop, Grace Santiago (Lopez). She ultimately gets caught up in a love triangle as both men are smitten with her. However, as much as Charlie has a bigger crush on her, Grace sets her sights on the more physical and confident John. With the pressures of paying his debts looming large over his head, Charlie plots to pull off the ultimate heist of stealing $4 million from the money train on New Year’s Eve.

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Money Train’s fatal flaw is the convoluted storylines. The main throughline of the narrative is John always looking out for the impulsive Charlie while picking up his slack both on the job and his gambling addiction. The brothers’ sibling rivalry includes the love triangle with Grace, Charlie’s temptation to rob the train, and their pursuit of a psychotic arsonist (Chris Cooper) making random attacks on the subways. The film tries to recapture White Men Can’t Jump’s spirit of hustle within the wrong context of a buddy action picture. Even the sharp antagonist turn of Harrelson’s Charlie battling Snipes’ John in the heist finale comes too late into the story, detracting from the film’s real villain in Blake’s over-the-top performance as Patterson.

Jennifer Lopez Is the True Stand-Out in ‘Money Train'

Snipes and Harrelson’s chemistry struggles to hold up Money Train as a memorable buddy movie. However, it is Lopez who makes the most of an otherwise flawed screenplay. Lopez’s inclusion in the film echoes Rosie Perez’s star-making role with Snipes and Harrelson in White Men Can’t Jump. Yet, the key difference between Perez and Lopez is, rather than playing a love interest shaped by the stereotypes that were often attributed to Latina characters, the latter portrays Grace as a strong, capable lead against her macho-driven co-stars — a dynamic similar to Sandra Bullock opposite Sylvester Stallone in Demolition Man.

A key example of Lopez’s on-screen charisma happens midway through the film when Grace spars with John at a boxing gym. The sparring grows intense as Grace refuses to hold back her punches, pushing John to admit his true romantic feelings despite already allowing Charlie to make a move. Not only does Lopez prove she can physically handle an action star like Snipes on screen, but there’s also a layer of sexual chemistry within the sparring session that plays to her strengths from an acting perspective. Despite this, Money Train is an incoherent picture only driven by the star combination of Snipes and Harrelson. What could have been a potential franchise starter similar to Bad Boys ends up getting derailed long before the train the movie does. But Lopez’s performance, beauty, and strength to stand out next to Snipes and Harrelson was enough to elevate her to greater heights in films such as Selena and Out of Sight, setting the course for a career full of historical highs.

Money Train is currently streaming on Prime Video in the U.S.

Amal Clooney Wore Optical Illusion Jeans Cosigned by Jennifer Lopez—Fall-Ready Styles Start at $44

My list of must-try jean trends for 2026 is growing; it currently includes all the silhouettes one denim expert revealed to me as the must-watch of the year (save for baggy jeans, because I’ve been wearing those for years). That said, one style that didn’t land on said aforementioned list, but is clearly due for big, big things this year, is flare jeans. With a growing list of celebrity fans that includes Meghan Markle, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Cindy Crawford, Kendrick Lamar (you know that moment), and, of course, Amal Clooney, there’s no denying the retro denim style that was popular in the early aughts is back—and bigger than ever.

The fact that Clooney wore flared jeans is noteworthy in and of itself. The human rights lawyer is known for her refined dressing approach, regularly opting for billowy trousers, trendy boho blouses, and comfy sweater dresses—all staples that read elegant and timeless. So, when I spotted her earlier this year in the laid-back blues while out to dinner with hubby George Clooney, I knew I had to write about it. Of course, the fact that she wore flare jeans, the style countless celebs have worn the last few weeks, is noteworthy, too, as it further cements the style’s ‘It’ status for 2026. 

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Clooney opted for a pair of medium-wash jeans with subtle fading (another Y2K reference, IMO). Her blues had an ultra-high waist—so high, in fact, that they appeared to hit at the ribcage. It’s the complete opposite of the controversial low-rise denim, so it’s a possible sign that the high-high waist is coming back, too. Not to mention, Clooney’s jeans had a slightly oversized fit from the thighs to the ankles, but it’s that flared hem that has all my attention; it’s taking me back to my middle school days when I’d wear my True Religion flares every single day. (No joke.)

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It’s undeniable that Clooney’s jeans have that nostalgic flair (ahem, flare, wink, wink), but it’s also undeniable that celebs are clamoring to the style because it’s incredibly flattering. The blues basically act like an optical illusion, making legs look super long, especially when paired with a style that has an extra-long hemline and sky-high platforms á la Lopez; the singer is 5-feet-5-inches, but don’t you agree with me that she looks way taller in these jeans? Yeah, that’s thanks to the flares. The flare hem and longer inseams help create the look of legs for days, but add in a high-waisted cut, platform heels, and a crop top, and you’ll fool people into thinking you’re inches taller. 

Leg-elongating factor aside, there’s no denying that flares are fun and nostalgia-inducing—and that’s exactly what I need right now. So, shop some more fun, funky flares from Frame, NYDJ, and Mavi below.

NYDJ Barbara Jeans

Gap High Rise ‘70s Flare Jeans

Frame The Icon Raw Hem Flare Jeans