Greed Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Greed Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 28, 2020

Writer/director Michael Winterbottom has always held a great interest in highlighting troubled times around the world, with the growing issue of economic disparity a popular topic of his pictures. With “Greed,” Winterbottom does away with any sort of subtlety, instead going for the throat with his vision of a billionaire celebrating his 60th birthday, with his grotesque life opened for study as a decadent party is planned in his honor. The material has its biting comedic moments, but Winterbottom is aiming for a more sobering depiction of the haves and have nots, constructing a briskly paced overview of unrepentant financial manipulation, workplace abuse, and the blind absurdity of privilege, reteaming with frequent collaborator Steve Coogan to assess the ruination of lives as the few retain everything they can get their hands on, while the many fight for survival.

Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan) is a billionaire who’s made his fortune in fashion, selling cheap clothes to the masses. He’s about to celebrate his 60th birthday on Mykonos, a Greek island, preparing for a lavish event that takes its inspiration from the film “Gladiator,” including the erection of an amphitheater that remains unfinished. During the week-long countdown to the festivities, Richard juggles the many elements of his life, welcoming his ex-wife, Samantha (Isla Fisher), mother Margaret (Shirley Henderson), and children, Finn (Asa Butterfield) and Lily (Sophie Cookson), to his vacation estate, while biographer Nick (David Mitchell) embarks on a mission to create a video of personal memories from the subject’s associates. However, instead of collecting happy wishes, Nick is exposed a history of ruthless business practices and financial gamesmanship from Richard, who doesn’t apologize for his behavior, exploring fresh ways to build his fortune while fixated on lowballing every aspect of his business, increasing his profitability.

“Greed” is basically controlled chaos from Winterbottom, who thrives on such unleashed screen energy. The setting is Mykonos, a gorgeous Greek island that’s being overrun with Richard’s employees, who’ve set out to create an ornate birthday party for their boss. With “Gladiator” as the template, the team embarks on a mission to build a gigantic amphitheater for the guests, with the special star of the evening a real lion who isn’t taking kindly to a new cage, refusing to perform on command. Costumes are being created, food is corralled, and celebrity invitations are fussed over with war room-style concentration, as potential humiliation awaits Richard if he can’t secure the brightest names in the entertainment business for his blowout. Problems are plentiful, including a specific situation on the nearby beach, where a community of Syrian refugees has built a camp, adding an unpleasant reminder of world issues that Richard would like to erase, working to get around legalities involving their stay.

Richard’s focus is also drawn to the needs of his family, managing unexpected attention from Samantha, who arrives with a younger lover but seems interested in rekindling their relationship. Finn is depressed and confused, pushed away from his dad’s life. And there’s Lily, who’s using the birthday party as a chance to shoot scenes for her reality show, often requiring multiple takes to showcase her life. The other side of “Greed” belongs to Nick, a slightly dim writer who accepts the responsibility to produce a tape highlighting Richard’s success. Instead, he learns the bitter truth about the man’s behavior, growing from an amateur magician with no respect for authority to a businessman determined to destroy the high-street fashion competition, refusing to pay anything for the work while belittling his employees. The journey takes Nick to Sri Lanka to visit a sweatshop, learning of low wages and dangerous working conditions, all the while compiling footage for a man who demands everything and gives nothing. Adding perspective to the tale is Amanda (Dinita Gohil), a Greek event manager with ties to Richard’s Sri Lankan terrors, suddenly realizing what she’s dealing with.

Greed Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

With a large portion of the movie captured in the bright sunlight of Greece, "Greed" enjoys an impressive amount of detail during the AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Skin particulars are crisp, highlighting the polish of the rich and the fatigue of the poor, and clothing retain a looser sense of cotton, while business attire registers with thickness. Beach vistas are dimensional, as is urban activity, while store visits deliver a full look at stock and signage. Colors are bright, including Richard's blindingly white teeth and deep tan. Island hues retain blue skies and water, and appealing greenery. Fashion shows and sweatshop tours provide deep primaries. Decoration also brings out a more varied palette, and the final party sequence showcases flashy concert lighting. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable. Artifacting isn't a problem, but a late inning fire sequence in Sri Lanka explodes with posterization issues for a moment.

Greed Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix handles the "Greed" sonic experience with authority. Soundtrack cuts deliver big beats and support screen energy, and DJ performances during the closing sequence create intended celebratory excitement. Scoring cues are equally compelling. Dialogue exchanges are direct, clarifying accents and attitudes, while overlapping conversations are easy to follow. Surrounds deliver a sense of Greek beach life and room tone, and group activity is immersive. Naturalistic changes are also compelling, especially with rolling waves. Low-end is acceptable, with a little heft reserved for lion roars.

Greed Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes (2:10, HD) is a short interview with Steve Coogan (recorded during a junket appearance), who examines the characters, story, and locations of "Greed." He also mentions his working relationship with director Michael Winterbottom (making eight movies together) and the film's ultimate message. There's a brief flash of BTS footage, but this offering is more promotional in nature, not a post-mortem assessment of creative and dramatic achievements.

• Deleted Scene (4:56, HD) details Richard's brief stint as a "health czar" for his country, taking the media through a crude tour of a NHS hospital before returning to the board room to show others how medicine can be run like a regular business, putting profit over people.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:19, HD) is included.

Greed Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Greed" goes all over the place, including a Parliamentary committee hearing where Richard defends his business practices, suggesting he's only one of many corporations eagerly avoiding tax responsibilities and taking advantage of the poor. Winterbottom isn't dealing with shades of gray here, offering a full color look at corruption and legal maneuvering, with Samantha living the high life in Monaco, a tax haven, representing the influence of the Panama Papers on the screenplay. The production makes salient points on financial horrors and exploitation, and the cast is marvelous, with Coogan born to play such a primal beast of a man, adding fake teeth and a bad tan for emphasis. Mitchell and Gohil are just as strong. Winterbottom can't maintain control of "Greed" for the entire runtime, turning subtext into text in the final act, which ruins the lasting effect of the material, but he's passionate about the subject, making a laudable attempt to introduce the private realm of abuse from the wealthy to a wider audience. Outrage is the final goal.