The Irony Of Greed

“All The Money In The World”  (2017)  —  movie review
Today’s review is for the “based on a true story” dramatic kidnap / recovery movie, “All The Money In The World“, starring Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty (the richest man in the world), Michelle Williams as Gail Harris (Getty’s daughter in law), Charlie Plummer as John Paul Getty III (Getty’s grandson and the victim of the kidnapping) and Mark Wahlberg as Fletcher Chase (Getty’s security chief / counselor) who is tasked with getting the grandson back.  Charlie is no relation to Christopher in real life.
Basically, a 16 year old boy is wandering around the streets of Rome and gets kidnapped and held for ransom.  Because the boy is the grandson of the richest man in the world,  the gang assumes the grand-father will pay the ransom in a matter of days and they can return the boy.  Unfortunately, they don’t bargain on the grandfather being one of, if not THE, cheapest man in the world.  Getty refuses to pay and sends his head of security to the mother to try to help her get the boy back – without promising any money.
Blah, blah, blah.  There’s a lot of interaction between Getty and the daughter-in-law (now divorced from his son), between Getty and his security chief (Wahlberg’s character) and between Wahlberg and Williams.   Blah, blah, blah.  …And between the gang and III.  As things drag on, the gang “sells” III to the mob and they cut off an ear to prove they have III and that he is still alive.
Blah, blah, blah.  We are offered more proof of what a jerk Getty is (was) and then he finally kicks out the money to save the boy.  The rescue happens, JPG dies and the daughter-in-law gets all the money (trustee of the estate) until her kids grow up.  Blah, blah, blah, resolution.  Fade to after-credits…
Is the movie any good?  Does it work?  Does it have anything to say – about Getty or about wealth?  So-so.  Yes, mostly.  Probably not – on both counts.  The movie is mildly entertaining.  I didn’t look up the real-life events before the movie and I didn’t recall the events even though they happened during my lifetime (my late teens).  So, I didn’t know what was going to happen.  Did it matter?  No.  The movie was mostly interesting, but it felt like it dragged and was a bit long.  I think it was all the blah-blah about how cheap Getty was.  They established this – emphatically, but then kept beating the dead horse.  But…  I did think the movie worked because I was “entertained” by it.  I did want to find out if the kid survived and if Getty would pay for his pettiness.  The grandson did;  Getty did not.  Not really (IMHO).
Final recommendation:  moderate recommendation.  I enjoyed Wahlberg in this “different” kind of role.  I thought Christopher Plummer made a pretty good “asshole, rich tightwad”.  I thought Williams was “just” okay as the mother.  I thought Charlie Plummer was the weakest of the main actors.  I just didn’t believe him in the role.  Lastly, and it’s probably just me, but the movie was in color, but kept fading into a washed-out, almost black-and-white “vintage” look.  I found it irritating instead of artsy.  Like I said, probably just me…
.
On This Day In:
2022	An Honorable Preference
2021	Very Young Or Very New
	Feelin’ It
2020	Or To Destroy Democracy
2019	A Defense Of Liberty
2018	And Blog To Word Up To The Universe
	The Irony Of Greed
2017	Or Revisiting A Blog Site
2016	Alas, Too Often The Latter
2015	Either / Or
2014	Memorial Day – 2014
	Perfection
2013	Memorial Day Video
	Equal = Equal
2012	Congrats, Nephew!!
	Doggie Vision Networks
	The Flash: Omnibus
	JLI: vol 1
	Flash: Rebirth
	Burning Images
	What Do You Believe?
2011	Are We Still At War With The Poor?

Read Full Post »