--- title: "All the Money in the World: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/all-the-money-in-the-world/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/all-the-money-in-the-world" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 28 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # All the Money in the World (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 28 reviews: 14 positive, 9 mixed, 5 negative. Most critics come down on the positive side, if not by much, and almost all of them agree on one thing: Christopher Plummer. His J. Paul Getty, filmed in a hurry after the recasting, is named as the film’s best element more often than anything else, praised for its authority, its iciness and an unexpected pathos. Michelle Williams’s Gail draws the next most praise, and several reviews credit Ridley Scott with making the late reshoots invisible and keeping the thriller brisk. The spread is wide. The reservations cluster on pace and feeling: a good number of critics find the film detached, plodding or mechanical, with the ransom plot slow to generate tension and the characters thinly drawn. Slant and The Ringer go furthest, finding it tasteless and flat, while Paste dissents on Plummer himself, calling the rushed performance out of place. Collider, among others, objects that Williams is sidelined when she should be central. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2017. McCarthy gives the film an enthusiastic verdict, calling it a gripping and propulsive thriller. He especially praises Christopher Plummer’s authoritative performance and Michelle Williams’s resourceful portrayal of Gail. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world-1069161/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 82/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 2017. Turan finds the film worth seeing, praising Ridley Scott’s ability to make the last-minute recasting feel seamless. He particularly singles out Christopher Plummer’s portrayal of J. Paul Getty, while also commending Michelle Williams’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-all-the-money-in-the-world-review-20171221-story.html) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 3/4/3. 4 January 2018. Strong finds flashes of greatness in the film but says its hero complex dampens them. She praises Christopher Plummer and Michelle Williams while criticizing the framing of Mark Wahlberg’s character as heroic. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world) ## The i Paper — Geoffrey Macnab Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 December 2017. Macnab argues that replacing Spacey with Plummer was the right move and that the film benefits from Plummer’s performance. He especially praises Plummer’s portrayal of Getty as both a victim and a villain, with gravitas and pathos. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/all-the-money-film-review-113700) ## Total Film — Kevin Harley Rating 4/5. 21 December 2017. Harley praises the film as a lean, intelligent thriller, with Scott directing it briskly despite the challenges surrounding its production. He singles out Christopher Plummer’s nuanced performance and Michelle Williams’s convincing lead turn. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/all-the-money-in-the-world-review/) ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2017. The critic finds the thriller consistently gripping and its study of money and greed terrific, despite some reliance on cliché. Christopher Plummer’s complex, icy performance as J. Paul Getty is singled out as the film’s best element. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/money-world-review/) ## Film Comment — Michael Sragow Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). Sragow presents the film as a sharply drawn thriller with clear-eyed treatment of the kidnapping. The standfirst singles out its depiction of the Getty oil scion’s abduction. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/deep-focus-money-world/) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating B-. 21 December 2017. Dowd finds the film uneven, with a proficient but overly workmanlike approach. He singles out Christopher Plummer’s performance as the film’s best element, while criticizing the weak dramatic tension between Getty and Gail. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/removing-kevin-spacey-isnt-the-only-way-they-could-have-1821498738) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is blocked by a browser verification screen, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available to verify. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world-2017) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2017. The review’s verdict is unavailable in the accessible text. The page identifies the real-life kidnapping and greed as the film’s central focus, but provides no specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world-review/5125094.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 24 December 2017. The article text is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the available page. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/24/movies/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-christopher-plummer.html) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2017. Debruge finds the thriller technically accomplished but somewhat mechanical and lacking sustained suspense. He singles out Christopher Plummer’s performance as its strongest element, praising how it humanizes the miserly Getty. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-1202645915/) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2017. Edelstein finds the film uneven but worthwhile, with Michelle Williams’s performance giving it emotional force. He also praises Christopher Plummer’s portrayal, while faulting the thin characterization and familiar, ridiculous climax. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/12/all-the-money-in-the-world-movie-review.html) ## Radio Times — Terry Staunton Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 4 January 2018. The review describes the film as curiously detached, suggesting a mixed verdict. It singles out Christopher Plummer as the best thing about it. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/all-the-money-in-the-world-spacey-replacement-christopher-plummer-is-the-best-thing-about-a-curiously-detached-film/) ## Evening Standard — Guy Lodge Rating 2/5. 16 January 2018. Lodge finds the film stolid and sluggish, with little perspective on its characters or their emotional pain. He praises Christopher Plummer’s seamless integration and sharply material portrayal of Getty. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-emergency-plummer-cant-save-this-lackluster-drama-a3732881.html) ## The Guardian — Simran Hans Rating 2/5. 7 January 2018. Hans finds the kidnapping drama plodding and lacking urgency, with the ransom plot taking too long to become thrilling. She singles out the final third’s severed-ear scene and car chase for bringing some momentum, while noting the distracting recasting of J Paul Getty. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jan/07/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-plodding) ## The New Yorker Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds the film detached and lacking psychological insight, despite its capable cast. Charlie Plummer brings pathos to the role, while Christopher Plummer gives J. Paul Getty an unexpectedly avuncular quality. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/all-the-money-in-the-world) ## Slant Magazine — Henry Stewart Rating 1/4. 21 December 2017. Stewart finds the film a tasteless, manufactured thriller with little insight into its characters. He praises Michelle Williams’s convincing portrayal of Gail, while lamenting that she is sidelined and overshadowed. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/all-the-money-in-the-world/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2017. Hammond calls the film a must-see thriller and a true winner. He especially praises Christopher Plummer’s authoritative, wry performance as J. Paul Getty. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2017/12/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-ridley-scott-christopher-plummer-michelle-williams-getty-kidnapping-video-1202230233/) ## Eye for Film — Anne-Katrin Titze Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 January 2018. The review is strongly positive, calling Christopher Plummer’s performance bone-chillingly perfect and praising Ridley Scott’s command of detail. It also singles out the film’s visual beauty and its incisive treatment of wealth, greed, and family. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/all-the-money-in-the-world-2017-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2017. The critic finds the film a compelling, morally weighted portrait of greed. Christopher Plummer’s portrayal of Getty is singled out as an indelible depiction of corrosive miserliness. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/all-the-money-in-the-world-film-review-ridley-scott-christopher-plummer-getty/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film compelling and absorbing, with strong Oscar potential. It singles out Michelle Williams’s nuanced performance and praises Ridley Scott’s handling of the story’s pace and atmosphere. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/all-the-money-in-the-world-review/) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 2017. The critic finds the film an unconventional, entrancing thriller that ultimately rewards its audience. He especially praises Christopher Plummer’s captivating performance, while noting that following the kidnapping victim’s story weakens the investigations’ suspense. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2017/12/film-review-all-the-money-in-the-world/) ## Digital Spy — Rosie Fletcher Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 January 2018. The review finds the film somewhat slow and stretched but ultimately vital, with Christopher Plummer stealing the show. It especially praises his nuanced, charismatic portrayal of Getty despite the rushed reshoots. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a846763/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-kevin-spacey-christopher-plummer/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating C+. 22 December 2017. Goldberg finds the film professionally made but ultimately incoherent and unable to deliver lasting impact. He praises Michelle Williams’s forceful performance, while faulting the story for not making her character more central. [Read the review](https://collider.com/all-the-money-in-the-world-review-christopher-plummer/) ## Den of Geek — Don Kaye Rating 3/5. 22 December 2017. Kaye finds the film polished and well-performed but ultimately unable to generate much passion, with its labored second half weakening the story. He singles out the clash between Michelle Williams and Christopher Plummer as the film’s strongest aspect. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/all-the-money-in-the-world-review/) ## Paste — Will Leitch Rating 4.9/10. 19 December 2017. Leitch finds the film disjointed and frazzled despite its technical accomplishment and Scott’s storytelling skill. He praises the kidnapping scenes’ visceral intensity, but says Christopher Plummer’s rushed performance feels out of place. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/all-the-money-in-the-wolrd/all-the-money-in-the-world) ## The Ringer — K. Austin Collins Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 2017. Collins finds the film flat and stale, failing to turn its gripping true story into a taut thriller. He praises Christopher Plummer’s performance as Getty, though the character’s brief screen time leaves the movie’s seams and shortcomings in focus. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2017/12/21/movies/all-the-money-in-the-world-film-review-ridley-scott-christopher-plummer) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/all-the-money-in-the-world.md