If you kinda liked
The Big Short and
The Wolf of Wall Street, but found them a bit pretentious with their “satire” and “relevance,” here’s just the thing. Based on a true story, it stars Matthew McConaughey as fictionalized precious metals speculator Kenny Wells in full gimme-an-Oscar mode—sweaty and faux bald, showing off the weight he gained in comic scenes of near nudity. Wells latches on to a geologist (Edgar Ramírez) and his awesome intuition about where gold might be found in a remote Indonesian valley, but this is no treasure-hunt adventure. We’re meant to identify with Wells’ refusal to bow down to corporate Big Boys, and his tenacity in sticking with his “dream.” But in spite of McConaughey’s entertaining gusto for the character, Wells isn’t very interesting. He might be bursting with purpose, but the movie isn’t.
By
MaryAnn Johanson