This is
another Oscar-buzz movie that I caught before the nominations, which all told,
shook out to a supporting actor nod for Christopher Plummer. Which is certainly understandably – after
all, the film is famous for its last-minute reshoots to avoid controversy and
completely recast Kevin Spacey with Plummer.
While this move was at least as much about PR, profit, and, yes, award
buzz, as it was about ethics (likely more so,) I’m still glad they did it. It’s a fine film, and it would have been a
shame for Spacey to bring it down with him.
All the Money in the World is based on the true
story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, grandson to “the richest man in
the history of the world.” When Paul is
snatched, the kidnappers demand $17 million his mother Gail definitely does not
have. She appeals to Getty, her
ex-father-in-law, for help, but the billionaire isn’t prepared to pay a penny
in ransom. Instead, he sends Fletcher
Chase, a former CIA agent and his top dealmaker, to negotiate Paul’s release –
as cheaply as possible.
Watching
the movie, it’s impossible to lose sight of the fact that Plummer’s entire role
(as Getty) was reshot and edited into the film in under six weeks. It’s true that it’s a supporting part – Gail
is probably the lead – but it’s quite a bit bigger than I was expecting after
hearing about the 11th-hour recast.
Clearly, there was a good deal of fast, efficient, high-quality work
performed by a lot of people to make this happen, and that’s to be
commended. It becomes even more
impressive when you consider that time crunch, but either way, Plummer’s
performance is terrific and that nomination is well-deserved. His Getty is fascinating, so greedy but at
the same time sort of warm and non-malicious. He holds my attention completely every moment
he’s onscreen.
As usual
with “based on a true story” movies, I don’t know for such how much of this
story actually happened as it does in the film, though I’ve heard that there
was some definite dramatic license to make the climax more action
film-ish. But regardless of what’s true
and what’s not, this is a pretty interesting story. As I’ve said, Getty functions much as a
Scrooge, but doesn’t quite feel like
one. When asked how much he’d pay for
the return of his grandson and he replies, almost bemusedly, “Nothing,” it’s as
if the very idea of it is so absurd to him, he doesn’t know what to make of
it. As Paul narrates, that level of
wealth almost erases Getty’s humanness, and he interacts with the rest of the
world like an alien who doesn’t understand our ways. His interplay with Gail is great. I love watching this woman work at how to get
past this implacable giant who won’t give her grandson the help he needs. I also like the confusing, conflicted
relationship between Paul and one of his kidnappers, Cinquanta.
Plummer,
by the way, isn’t the only actor turning in fine work here. Michelle Williams (The Station Agent alumni forever!!) is great as Gail, and in a year
where the lead actress category wasn’t so packed, I’d have hoped she’d get a
nomination. I really enjoy Romain Duris
as Cinquanta (he also played Xavier in The
Spanish Apartment – blast from the past!), and the film additionally
features Mark Wahlberg as Chase and Andrew Buchan (Mark from Broadchurch) as Paul’s dad.
Warnings
Violence,
drinking/smoking, drug references, language, sexual references, and thematic
elements.
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