Hell Bent!
Greed is good. Remember those cherished words from Wall Street insider Gordon Gekko in the slick if not sick classic Wall Street chronicling the excess of some slick snake oil salesmen playing with other people’s money. Now get in the Christmas holiday spirit as all that greed gets combined with the miserly habits of the ultimate Scrooge in All The Money in the World. You won’t feel the love in this outstanding drama from Sony Pictures sure to make waves.
Miracles do happen. All the Money In the World is actually inspired by true events. Shocking events in fact. What may even be more shocking is that this film will be perhaps best remembered for the notoriety attached to its former principal actor, now disgraced Kevin Spacey. Somehow director Ridley Scott managed to reshoot all Spacey’s already completed movie’s scenes with – wait for it – Canadian actor Christopher Plummer in the title role of J.Paul Getty. People of an older vintage will recall that once upon a time J.Paul Getty was the richest man in the world. That drive for success forms the emotional backbone to this film.
Although some creative liberties were taken with the story All The Money in the World follows the kidnapping of teenage boy Paul Getty, grandson to the billionaire. Most people would pay a ransom even if the police may rule against it. Money is no object to the Getty clan but the old man is as miserly as they come. News of the abduction in Italy in 1973 sets off an unbelievable chain of event with the boys panicked mother left completely out in the cold. Michelle Williams pores her heart out as the estranged mom whose attempts to get old moneybags to part with $17 Million largely falls on deaf ears.
Scott does a masterful job recreating the tension of the crime and the atmosphere is riveting. Plummer is outstanding as the crusty old cad and Mark Wahlberg tags along as a negotiator seemingly out of his depth.
Well made and extremely well acted All The Money in the World just goes to show you that having money can be a blessing – or a curse.
By Alan Samuel