Absolutely Fantastic

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Definitely a must watch movie, deserving 8 stars. Not gold but good

An overused and tired formula, oh you know the one: "main character starts with nothing, soon earns everything and then loses it all". An extremely saturated trope where any new additions really need to standout. Unfortunately for Gold, it was too safe and uninteresting. Kenny Wells desires to become a prospector and run his own mining company, to which he sets off out to Indonesia to strike gold (quite literally...). All seems to be going well until major companies want a piece of the action where Kenny may gain even more money or lose it all. It's not often a biopic makes me feel conflicted, it's actually a genre I really appreciate and enjoy. An intriguing scandal brought to the big screen with safe directing, safe dialogue and a safe supporting cast. Everything about this felt safe, and ultimately that is its downfall. It becomes uninteresting, dull and actually rather ugly. Matthew McConaughey gives a committed performance and probably one of his better roles, just behind 'Dallas Buyers Club'. I'm still not a huge fan, but his method style of acting is unquestionably devoted. Edgar Ramirez certainly looked the part, same goes to Corey Stoll. But the supporting cast were wasted. Bland, uncharismatic and simply just a vehicle to boost McConaughey's performance. The jungles of Indonesia looked lavish and luscious. The third act alone saved this from being a mediocre borefest. It just hooked me immediately and I couldn't take my eyes off. A shame that the rest of the film couldn't maintain that sense of tension and grip. The story was just ugly. The greed of man, constantly revolving around money, business and stock. Unlikeable. Gold is just fine, I wasn't bored yet I wasn't entertained either. McConaughey and the third act just about push this to be classed as "good". Wouldn't watch it again in a hurry...

With a very deep voice that'll reach you, "A bird with no feet sleeps in the wind", just one of the quotes that'll have you think and not just watch. This picture is an experience that can teach a thing or two. The protagonist Kenny Wells has that connection with everyone, including those unattractive occasions in your life. It is rare for me to be sitting at the edge of my seat while a film is ending this one has put itself into that category. Gold isn't just Gold it's something you might want to live.

Matthew McConaughey, Edward Ramirez and Bryce Dallas Howard star in "Gold" from 2016, based on the Bre-X gold mine scandal in Canada.After his father dies and the fourth-generation prospecting business goes belly-up, Kenny Wells (McConaughey) does not want to give up on his dream of finding gold in them thar hills.He approaches a well-known geologist, Michael Acosta (Ramirez) and talks him into partnering with him. Michael hasn't found gold either but thinks he knows where in Indonesia to look. Wells manages to get a few investors and the two go to work, but without luck. It's looking like another failure, especially when the workers quit. Knowing they need fresh water in their community, Michael lures them back to work by providing purifying systems for them.Wells contracts malaria and is out of it for weeks. But when he is well, he learns that Michael has found gold. Their subsequent success is enormous.This is one of those pathetic stories we've seen and heard about a million times - Enron, Madoff, etc., etc., where no one questions anything because -- as Wells says at the end -- everyone is making too much money. This to me was one of the more outrageous stories. It's amazing to me that enormous corporations will buy into anything, no matter how stupid, if they think they can make a few dollars.The film is entertaining, with McConaughey a vision with his shaved head, 45-pound weight gain and false teeth, giving a fine performance as a man who looks like a loser and kind of acts like one. Ramirez is subtle and underplayed, in good contrast to the bombastic Kenny.Nice ending.