Cold Take: All the Money in the World

This is not a film review.

All the Money in the World is a film by Ridley Scott about the kidnapping of a Getty heir in the 1970s. The film initially starred Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, and Kevin Spacey.

When it became public that Kevin Spacey had allowed his terrible actions to make him a terrible person, and he was replaced by Christopher Plummer.

Now, in the original trailers and posters, Kevin Spacey was almost unrecognizable. Playing a grandfather, he had been 'aged' to look the part. Because let's face it – the almost 60-year old Kevin Spacey looks nothing like our image of a grandfather.

Meanwhile, Christopher Plummer looks exactly like a grandfather.

Here's what I don't understand: Why did they spend money making a 60-year old look like an 80-year old? Why didn't they just hire Christopher Plummer (on an equally naturally grandfatherly looking man) in the first place?

Note this story is also the subject of the FX limited series Trust, where Donald Sutherland plays the Getty patriarch. It's not like there aren't Oscar-bait worthy elderly white male actors available. Bruce Dern (nominated for Nebraska) comes to mind.

The astounding part about Christopher Plummer replacing Kevin Spacey was that the film opened as scheduled – with all of Kevin Spacey's scenes re-shot.

Then it came out that Mark Wahlberg was paid goo gobs more than Michelle Williams for the re-shoot work. I briefly heard her talk about her decision to do the re-shoots, and seemed like she approached them as (for lack of a better term) an Artist. I will sacrifice to make this art succeed.

Meanwhile, Mark Wahlberg seemed to treat the re-shoots as Business. You want my time, it'll cost you.

I'm Team Mark on this one. You want me to work for scale because you decided this actor with a reputation could not longer represent your Oscar-bait film? Please.

What is more significant is whether Michelle Williams was paid at least as much as Mark Wahlberg when she first agreed to do the film. Because between the two of them, Michelle Williams is the Oscar-bait heavyweight who could get tongues wagging with Oscar buzz. So did they pay her right the first time?