No film is more representative of the effect of the #metoo movement and the Hollywood sexual abuse scandal than Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World. Kevin Spacey was originally cast as Jean-Paul Getty. However, after filming had wrapped, allegation of sexual assault and harassment emerged against the actor. The film was due to premiere at AFI Fest, but this was cancelled. His scenes were completely re-shot with Christopher Plummer taking over. A gesture/performance which garnered Plummer an Oscar nomination.
It’s 1973 and Jean Paul Getty (Plummer) is the richest man in the world. His teenage grandson, John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) is kidnapped whilst living with his mother Gail (Michelle Williams) in Italy. A sum of $17 million is demanded as ransom, which the mogul refuses to pay. Gail’s pleas fall on deaf ears, due to the fact that she divorced his son and that the tycoon is notoriously tight with his fortune. Eventually he decides to instruct an oil negotiator and CIA operative (Mark Wahlberg) to get his grandson back.
Based on John Pearson’s book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty, All the Money in the World is a tense and rich crime thriller. Williams is as brilliant as ever whilst Plummer acts like the part was made for him. Scott deftly handles multiple perspectives whilst weaving in background to add depth to the story. All the Money in the World is an entertaining film about greed, family and what lengths people will go to in order to protect both.
Bonus Features:
- 8 Deleted Scenes
- “Ridley Scott: Crafting a Historical Thriller” – Director Ridley Scott and the cast and crew discuss the fast-paced and exciting way he filmed this epic movie.
- “Hostages to Fortune: The Cast” – A look into the award-winning actors and their connections to their real-world characters.
- “Recast, Reshot, Reclaimed” – This piece follows the unprecedented recasting of the character J. Paul Getty a little over a month before the film’s theatrical release.
All the Money in the World is released on DVD and Blu-ray by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on 14 May.
