Motivated by actual events, Gold is the epic tale of one man’s American dream and everything he’ll do to keep it from falling apart. Matthew McConaughey stars as Kenny Wells, a man raised in the mining business, which attracts the type of men, like his father, who aren’t afraid to go out in the mountains and dig fortune from the ground. But in a business where a roll of the dice can be the difference between vast riches and complete failure, the die haven’t been falling his way.
Kenny embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of America, an unshakable belief that survives all obstacles. If only there was a 13th round, Wells would win every fight. So he sells his last possessions and heads to Indonesia on a near-hunch to find gold he’s convinced is in one of the deepest, darkest jungles on the planet – Borneo. It is there that he teams up with a mythic geologist, Mike Acosta (Edgar Ramirez – The Girl on the Train), on a handshake and a scribble (literally) to simply go for broke … because that is highly likely where he will end up anyway. Wells and Acosta battle nature, the financial establishment, conspiracies inside conspiracies, but most of all they test their faith in themselves.
A dreamer’s tale … a cautionary tale, this film exposes the true nature of man. The thought of striking it rich has, throughout history, exposed us and so it is here.
It was 2008 and everyone was struggling, losing jobs and losing homes. The global financial crisis was destroying the economy, with many terming it the worst crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. In Los Angeles, screenwriter/producer partners Patrick Massett and John Zinman stumbled upon an article about the Bre-X gold scandal of the 1990s. That was when the Canadian company Bre-X Minerals Ltd. reported the discovery of a huge gold deposit in Indonesia, courtesy of a mining entrepreneur who’d teamed up with a geologist. Initially a mere penny stock, Bre-X soared with billions in enthusiastic capitalisation. So the screenwriting duo transplanted the notion to the US in the 1980s.
They created the fictitious character of Kenny Wells, a Reno prospector with a loyal girlfriend named Kay, a brainy geologist partner, Mike Acosta, and a deep-seated desire to make something of himself. Inspirations and influences included Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman (think Willy Loman, but not as dark) and Jack Lemmon’s character in Glengarry Glen Ross.
Directed by Stephen Gaghan (Traffic), Gold is one of those stories where you are left shaking your head in disbelief. When the movie starts there is a message on screen that it was inspired by a true story. After seeing it, I can only imagine there must have been plenty of latitude to that truth. Regardless, it is one hell of a tale about bravado and greed, with Matthew McConaughey looking about as gross as he could possibly look (in fact, it is difficult to believe that he can be made to look so bad – deliberately). He is a mighty fine actor, mind you and plays this driven individual – who loves a drink or a dozen – with verve and gusto. Push, push, push is Kenny’s credo and when the chips are down he just tries harder and always seems to find a way, at times against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Bryce Dallas Howard, although not asked to do a great deal, is his long-suffering partner, who has the most alluring face. One scene alone though tells us that she is a lot smarter than she lets on. With twists aplenty, just know that this isn’t over until its over and that expression will make a lot more sense once you have seen Gold.
This is an against the odds rags to riches to rags tale, where money – bucket loads of it – seem to be all but illusory. Rated M, Gold scores a 7½ out of 10.
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas-Howard, Edgar Ramirez
Release Date: 2 February 2017
Rating: M
Alex First
David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television
