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'All the Money in the World' delivers captivating suspense, drama
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With tensions set against headline-chasing reporters watching every move of a dysfunctional family and a life at stake, the movie provides ample suspense carried out captivatingly through finely tuned performances. (Courtesy of TriStar Pictures/File)
R
idley Scott's All the Money in the World delivers a gripping crime thriller based on the 1973 kidnapping of the teenage grandson of the richest man in the world, set against family drama as the world watches on.
When 16-year-old Paul (Charlie Plummer) was kidnapped by Italian gangsters, his rich but frugal grandfather, oil tycoon John Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), refused to handover the money, saying that paying the ransom would only inspire other kidnappings.
Desrcibed by Paul as "not just the richest man in the world, but the richest man in the history of the world," John Paul, nevertheless, would not hand over the US$17-million-dollar ransom demanded for his grandson's release.
As the billionaire once quipped, "There's hardly anything worth paying full price for," John Paul haggled with the captors, to the dismay or Paul's mother, Gail Getty (Michelle Willams), who was desperate to get her son back.
With the help of ex-CIA agent Fletcher Chace (Mark Wahlberg), the family attempted to negotiate Paul's release, which turned critical when captors sent Paul's severed ear to a daily newspaper.
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Written by David Scarpa, the movie is based on John Pearson's 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty.
Throughout the thrilling account, the film explores philosophical musings behind money and power, as John Paul says in the film, "Everyone and everything has a price." Christopher Plummer plays the money-minded oil tycoon solidly despite the last-minute filming, as he replaced Kevin Spacey who had been dropped from the project following sexual misconduct allegations.
John Paul's money-hungry character is challenged against a different shade of greed in the form of criminal captors. In the middle of the desperate situation was hopeless Gail, who, despite her family connections, does not have the money to pay for the release of her son.
Willams' performance delivers an assertive mother figure, who, although she was increasingly hopeless in the difficult situation, remained stern in keeping her children as the main priority.
With tensions set against headline-chasing reporters watching every move of a dysfunctional family and a life at stake, the movie provides ample suspense carried out captivatingly through finely tuned performances. (kes)
