Movie Review: Greed

There’s an underlying message in Michael Winterbottom’s new film Greed that feels like it was tailor-made commentary on the current era in American politics, not directly, but rather the environment that created and actively fosters it right now. But, the outside vantage point afford by this import is not only oddly incomplete, but it is also a tad condescending in its condemnation of the state of American affairs. Ultimately though, the disappointing thing about the whole affair is that there is never a satisfactory payoff, good or bad, when all is said and done. That is the most unforgivable crime committed here.

The film, Greed, revolves around non-linear story of a self-made (sort of) British billionaire named Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) who is trying to remake his image and the business he’s built over the last thirty some odd years after several scandals and questionable business deals have left he and his business tarnished (to say the least) and under investigation. In an effort to resuscitate his reputation and business, McCreadie plans to throw himself a highly publicized and extravagant party on the Greek island of Mykonos to celebrate his birthday. However, not everything goes according to plan as one thing after another seem to thwart McCreadie’s machinations as well as that looming specter of investigation.

Winterbottom has made a career out of the sort of satire that this story seems to desperately want to adhere to. Indeed, there are moments—though few and far between—that it does, and the movie appears ready to take off. But, for the most part, things never really get moving in any tangible way and the who thing kind of meanders from one scene into the next until the film ultimately just gives up as if saying it has had enough as well.

Steve Coogan in “Greed.”

Coogan is well cast as the dislikable, yet entertaining—in a “you love to hate him” kind of way—McCreadie and does his best to push the film through despite the hurdles confronting him. Other players too swoop in and out of scenes to lay down social commentary or simply push the plot forward a bit. Probably the best of the lot is Nick (David Mitchell) a writer who has been commissioned to pen Sir Richard’s biography and has been following him around and as such is best equipped to function as the surrogate for the audience. But, again, there’s very little payoff there.

There are numerous side stories that never amount to anything, such as McCreadie’s beyond-repair relationship with his possibly psychotic son Finn (Asa Butterfield), mentions of unfair labor practices in Sri Lanka, and a bizarre gladiator dinner party featuring a lion that ends with less than appetizing results (for the human guests that is).

The real tragedy here is not the Greek one alluded to throughout, but the story of what could have been had Greed been a bit more focused on, well, staying focused and telling the story of this corrupt, unhappy businessman in the more appropriate Greek tragedy milieu he probably deserved than the one he ultimately got.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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