PLOT- Based on the true story of the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) , the sixteen year-old grandson of J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer), one of the richest men in the world.
LIKE- Growing up in Southern California, I've been well-aware of the Getty family from a young age. I even had a teenage crush on Balthazar Getty (Son of John Paul Getty lll). I had heard of the kidnapping, but it was one of those scandalous headliners from before I was born and I really didn't know the details, making this movie fresh and surprising.
First off, it's a crazy story. John Paul Getty lll was kidnapped in Rome by a group expecting that Getty's billionaire grandfather would pay the ransom. His grandfather refuses and the situation goes on for months, including having Getty's ear cut off and mailed to a newspaper. Getty's parents were divorced, his father, John Paul Getty ll (Andrew Buchan) was a drug addict and unfit to be a parent. His mother, Gail ( Michelle Willams) took little of the Getty fortune in the divorce, but fought to have sole custody of her children, embittering her former father-in-law. During the kidnapping, Gail pleads with J. Paul Getty for his help and seizing the opportunity to win, he uses his money as a bargaining tool to remove her from having sole custody of the children. He also will not authorize the full amount requested from the kidnappers, loaning to his son, only the amount that he could claim as a tax deduction. He is show as cold and miserly.
The story is fast-paced and exciting, a perfect blend of emotional drama and action.
Second to the incredible story, the performances are what make All the Money in the World a must-see movie. At the top is Williams, who always seems to deliver a stellar performance, with the meatiest role as a mom caught in the middle. Gail does not have the means to help her son and must try everything to thaw her icy former father-in-law. Plummer got the role after filming had wrapped, when Kevin Spacey, who had originally been cast as J.Paul Getty, was removed from the film after accusations of sexual assault. Rather than scrap the movie, producers and director Ridley Scott recast and did a rushed, expensive reshoot, to get the film out before awards season. Plummer had just a few weeks to learn all of his lines and the effort paid off, as he has been nominated for an academy award. I was surprised that Williams didn't get a nod, nor did Charlie Plummer, who nailed it as the terrified kidnapped teenager. Actually, I'm surprised that All The Money in the World didn't get more nominations all around. It was one of the top movies I watched in 2017.
DISLIKE- Not a single thing. All the Money in the World is a fascinating true story and intense movie with great performances.
RECOMMEND- Yes! All the Money in the World is well-worth the effort to see it on the big screen.