All the Money in the World

As the end of the year comes to an end, we have a tendency to see more dramas which leans toward films based on true stories. In the past few years, these films have been aplenty regardless the subject or individual. So as we've seen films such as "The Greatest Showman", "The Darkest Hour" and "Thank You for Your Service", we now have "All the Money in the World".

This crime thriller dramatizes the real-life 1973 kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer), the grandson of billionaire oil tycoon J. Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer). John's mother Gail (Michelle Williams) begs J. Paul Getty to pay the kidnappers' ransom; when Getty Sr. refuses, Gail attempts to sway him as her son's captors become increasingly volatile and brutal. With her son's life in the balance, Gail and Getty's business associate, an ex-CIA agent, Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg) become unlikely allies in the race against time that ultimately reveals the true and lasting value of love over money.

Others to round out the cast are Romain Duris as Cinquanta, Timothy Hutton as Oswald Hinge, Andrew Buchan as John Paul Getty II, Marco Leonardi as Mammoliti, Giuseppe Bonifati as Giovanni Iacovoni and Charlie Shotwell as Young John Paul Getty III.

This was intensely directed by seasoned, consummate Ridley Scott ("The Duelists" '77, "Alien" '79, "Blade Runner" '82, "Thelma & Louise" '91, "White Squall" '96, "Gladiator" 2000, "Hannibal" '01, "Black Hawk Down" '01, "Matchstick Men" '03, "American Gangster" '07, "Prometheus" '12, "The Martian" '15, "Alien: Covenant" '17) plus others, TV and shorts. The subtleties this filmmaker is able to extract from his actors surely gives that sense of realism given the scene at hand. With every film, Ridley improves that much more and we continue to see the talent this guy possesses. It was executed well by writer David Scarpa ("The Last Castle" '01, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" '08), based on the book by John Pearson. For the limited experience this writer has, I simply marveled at his ability of penning a script. Seasoned writers aren't this good, and with the consummate cast and director involved, it had to of made his job that much more easy. With the exception that this was a bit too long in the tooth--132 minutes, this storyline was delineated with expertise. I will be waiting eagerly for this writer's next screenplay.

If films based on true stories are something you look forward to, this will be a film made in heaven, however even if you have an aversion to these types of films, the acting and especially the directing will stick with you long after the end of the credits.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: R                                      132mins.