All the Money in the World

In recent years, Ridley Scott's work has been heavily criticized for no longer producing films of the same quality as in the past, but I must disagree. Although his newer films may not reach the heights of Alien or Gladiator, they still boast above-average craftsmanship with no major issues in terms of craftsmanship. All the Money in the World fits this category. I believe the film received significant criticism mainly due to the reshoots with Plummer, but I actually consider that a brilliant choice. The role suited his age, and he infused his character, Getty, with brilliant acting attributes, making his screen appearances thoroughly enjoyable. Visually, the film is top-notch; I particularly liked the changing filters and shading, and I always appreciate a film that doesn't feel mundane. In terms of the story, there are notable positives, and the final cut didn't turn the film into a mess, which I consider a major plus. Although the first half of the film is more dialogue-driven, the second half picks up the pace, with the story gaining momentum and a few intense moments. I must also highlight the music. The only issue I had was that Wahlberg's character occasionally felt like a secondary player and didn’t always fit into the film, but his performance was still very well-executed. Plummer shone, and Williams as the mother did not disappoint either. I would have adjusted the ending as it doesn’t quite align with reality, but it’s still a very above-average film about a true event that few people know. I give it 78%. (30/01/2018)

I think Ridley Scott soured this movie for me from the start by replacing Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer. That alone made me hesitant to watch it at the time, even though Plummer delivers a solid performance. Eventually, I gave it a chance, and while the film has that classic epic Hollywood feel, it drags in places and feels unnecessarily long. Still, it's not a bad movie, and definitely not a waste of time. But the whole Me Too shadow is something it’ll never shake off, especially since Spacey was cleared of the charges. Hollywood really showed how ruthless it can be when money’s involved. (27/03/2021)

All the Money in the World is an inspiringly problematic film. It starts out like Le Dolce Vita and ends like Citizen Kane, but I can’t compare anything that happens in between with anything else. Though it contains a number of scenes that are reminiscent of a procedural thriller with detailed mapping of a certain working process as a classic dramatic structure that should draw viewers in and keep them in suspense with well-though-out dosing of information, the film is rather unsatisfying due to its muddled (especially with the constant jumping between various places, times and characters in the first half) and, at the same, very straightforward narrative, disjointed rhythm and cyclical yet somewhat monotonous structure with repetitive situations. ___ Paul's abduction is mainly a pretence for creating situations in which something that you normally wouldn’t buy with money (trust, attention, maternal love) is monetised, and for discussions about greed and a person’s worth. The tone and urgency of these scenes, which usually attempt to dialectically take into account the perspectives of both parties, change as the stakes rise and the probability of the son returning to his mother decreases. The theme of capitalism’s impact on interpersonal relationships is developed throughout the film, conceived here on a purely transactional level (it pays to invest in someone, but not in someone else). It isn’t so much about the relationships themselves or the development of the characters, most of whom (with the exception of the mother) are merely caricatures. At the same time, however, it’s not true that it isn’t about them at all, which would have paradoxically benefitted the film. ___ All the Money in the World is a dramatically strangely unbalanced work that with its structure draws our attention more to its creators’ arguments than to the characters and their suffering. I’m not sure if that was the intention, but I enjoyed the film as a cynical, non-moralising disputation on the power of money. 65% (26/01/2018)

How come no one filmed this before? This well-written drama directed with Ridley Scott’s traditional elegance is first and foremost a delicate satire of the spiritually bankrupt moneybags Getty, who was driven by his lust for wealth. The grotesqueness of his character makes him a bigger villain than the Italian kidnappers; he is even reminiscent of the Daniel Day-Lewis’s character from There Will Be Blood. Whatever Kevin Spacey was like in his role, Ridley’s original intention to cast Christopher Plummer was a good choice, as the veteran actor is phenomenal with his facial expressions and gestures. The secondary storyline, which actually takes up more of the runtime, is a thriller dominated by Getty’s counterpoint — the desperate but strong mother of the kidnapped portrayed by the excellent Michelle Williams. Hitchcock would be pleased with her hairstyle and frightened expression. Wahlberg, the film’s highest-paid actor, was just a makeweight. The less you know about the real story, the more you enjoy the movie. (25/01/2018)

What fascinated me most about the film were the instructions on how to live a life of wealth. Well, I’ve always washed my laundry myself, so I guess the problem is the missing phone booth. On the one hand, the film got me interested (retro vibe, a stingy grandpa, a story based on true events that forced me to do some googling). On the other hand, I must admit that I didn't care much for the fates of the people involved and the filmmakers somehow failed to get under my skin. (06/09/2018)