All the Money in the World review

ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD:

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER MAKES THIS FILM WORTH EVERY PENNY!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

TRISTAR PICTURES

Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg in All the Money in the World

            From director, Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator, The Martian) and starring Christopher Plummer (The Insider, Beginners, The Man Who Invented Christmas), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, Manchester by the Sea), and Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, Ted, Patriots Day) comes All the Money in the World, based on the true story of J. Paul Getty, one of the richest men in the world and his refusal to cooperate with a group of kidnappers who captured his grandson. The film was originally set to star Kevin Spacey as J. Paul Getty but after…well, you know, they replaced him with Plummer and the film went through reshoots in only two weeks, and damn, give Scott an award for directing in that short amount of time because this film is gripping.

            Do I think it’s on par with Alien, The Martian, Blade Runner, or even Gladiator as one of Ridley Scott’s best films? Probably not, but still it’s a very well-made movie and despite knowing very little of the real man, it kept me on my toes and invested all the way through, mostly because of Plummer’s performance, he makes this movie and gives it his all in only two weeks of reshoots, Academy, give this man an Oscar.

            In 1973, 16-year-old J.P. “Paul” Getty III (Charlie Plummer-Granite Flats, King Jack, The Dinner), grandson of oil tycoon, J. Paul Getty (Plummer) has been kidnapped in Rome by an organized crime ring demanding a ransom of $17 million from his mother, Gail Harris (Williams). Gail desperately attempts to convince his billionaire grandfather to pay the ransom but refuses and states that it would lead to more kidnappings of his family members in the future.

            With her son’s life in the balance, an unlikely partnership is formed between Gail, Getty, and former CIA operative, Fletcher Chase (Wahlberg) to investigate the case and secure Paul’s release. As they dig deeper into the mystery they soon discover the true and lasting value of love over money.

            The film also stars Romain Duris (The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Heartbreaker, The New Girlfriend) as Cinquanta, Marco Leonardi (Like Water for Chocolate, From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman’s Daughter, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) as Mammoliti, Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, The Ghost Writer, American Crime) as Oswald Hinge, and Andrew Buchan (Party Animals, Nowhere Boy, The Nativity) as John Paul Getty Jr.

            Overall, All the Money in the World is a solid addition to Ridley Scott’s filmography and a very well-executed dramatization of the real events. But even if you don’t know the story it’s still a gripping crime drama that can at times be a little predictable in its story but somehow find a way to make the viewers sympathize with the people involved, even Getty and the kidnappers show their softer sides once in a while.

            Christopher Plummer nails the role of J. Paul Getty and while Kevin Spacey may have done a decent job as the character, Plummer is already an old man, looks the part, and was able to act his scenes in two weeks. That’s determination and not once does it feel like he’s rushing his scenes, twice in a row this man amazes me with his acting this year.

            Michelle Williams is also great as the mother and you can feel the determination to find her son through the performance. Mark Wahlberg’s portrayal of Fletcher Chase doesn’t quite shine as bright as Plummer or Williams but he plays it well and he has strong chemistry with Williams’ character.

            I also like how the movie doesn’t immediately jump to the conclusion that Getty’s the bad guy because let’s face it, we’ve seen that plenty of times in movies before. Sure, he’s a wealthy jerk but he does have his reasons for refusing to pay the money and still wants his son to return alive and well.

            All the Money in the World probably won’t appeal to every mainstream movie-goer and the movie drags at times, but Plummer’s performance bookends the film and through some masterful direction by Scott as well as a compelling story that doesn’t shy away from brutal reality, All the Money in the World is worth every penny. This production alone is proof that Christopher Plummer is an acting legend and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do next.