Inspired by true events, Gold is an adventure drama that tells the story of prospector Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) as he desperately tries to get a lucky break. After teaming up with fellow geologist Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) the incredible story of how they uncovered a rich supply of gold in Indonesia and rise to the top of wall street is a roller coaster ride in this decent, although flawed, drama.
The story itself is pretty standard crop, there’s nothing groundbreaking or different about this rags to riches tale, although there is one plot twist toward the end that actually caught me off guard. Beyond that though, there really isn’t anything too different in this story. The true stand out is the absolutely outstanding acting of Matthew McConaughey.
Rarely seen without a cigarette or a glass full of booze, his raw in-your-face gritty performance absolutely steals the show and I found myself drawn to him in every scene he commanded. Whether it be shock, sadness, drunk, anger or elation, each individual emotion is so perfectly portrayed it really gave the film an authenticity to the character that’s sometimes missing from these “true story” films.
Although Kenny Wells is the real star, beyond his performance that almost outshines the film’s flaws, there isn’t really much else that stands out here. The rest of the cast are passable, the dialogue is all over the shop at times and the pacing feels odd. If it wasn’t for Kenny Wells’ character this might have had a lower score but his performance absolutely elevates this film for me and is worth a watch solely for him alone.
Overall, Gold is a decent drama with some great acting and a surprise twist toward the end but really doesn’t have much else to offer. The rest of the cast are passable and the pacing feels off at times which was a little jarring but Michael McConaughey is the real stand out and his performance elevates this from average to good.
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Verdict - 6/10
6/10