89. Greed; movie review

GREED
Cert 15
104 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, brief bloody images

I don't know Steve Coogan but every time I see him interviewed or read his comments, he appears to enhance his reputation as a self-consumed pillock.
Therefore, my problem with Michael Winterbottom's Greed was that, while I was onside with its political points, I struggled with Coogan.
Coogan is the man who last year got off a driving ban after speeding in his Porsche - because it would affect the filming of his new Alan Patridge series.
A couple of years ago, he put his house up for sale for £3m - and now he has the nerve to lecture us about the divide between rich and poor.
Here he plays Sir Richard 'Greedy' McCreadie - a figure who has more than a passing similarity to the disgraced boss of BHS, Philip Green.
His character has a knighthood for services to the retail industry and yet he has achieved his position by exploiting Sri Lankan factories and has owned a catalogue of businesses which have collapsed, costing thousands of people their jobs.
He is also a ghastly bully, a womaniser and the worst father of all time.
Despite all of the above people fawn over him because it allows them to touch the lifestyle of the very rich and famous.
Greed is told through the eyes of McCreadie''s official biographer (David Mitchell) - an uncomfortable witness to his excesses.
His subject's past life through his interviews from being a school bully through a business career in which he is only concerned with looking after number one.
His pursuit of the deal and refusal to pay his taxes, sees him exploiting almost everyone as well as the system before he finally arrives in Monaco with his wife (Isla Fisher) and settles into a life of shameless self-indulgence
The switch to the present day sees a 60th birthday which literally has a lion being prepared to fight gladiators in a hastily constructed amphitheatre and Syrian refugees literally being treated as slaves.
And then there are the seconds-long celebrity cameos by the bag-load, from the likes of Stephen Fry and Chris Martin.
Did director Michael Winterbottom not see the strange irony of hitting cinema audiences with a message of equality presented by a host of very wealthy people - most of whom are known for flamboyantly splashing cash?
I cannot deny that the performances are decent but they were submerged by social messages to the wrong people.
Those on-screen have the fame to change the world with their vast wealth and influence.
Indeed, only when they have done their bit should they feel qualified to harangue the less well-off over buying fashionable clothes and, consequently, lining billionaires pockets.

Reasons to watch: An important message
Reasons to avoid: Felt hypocritical

Laughs: A couple of chuckles
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? In 2018, there was a record of 2,208 people on the Forbes billionaires' list, including 259 newcomers mostly from China and the United States. There were 63 people under 40 and the list had a record number of 256 women.

The final word. Steve Coogan: ""Right now, you can ignore and most people do ignore the huge imbalance between the rich and the poor, because it's the elephant in the room and it's awkward to talk about it." BBC

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