It struck me during Worth that, despite it being the defining moment of the 21st century so far, there have been very few decent movies about the actual events of 9/11. Only the outstanding and harrowing United 93 springs to mind. There has, though, been some terrific films about the aftermath of the terrorist incident, most notably Zero Dark 30 and also The Report. Worth can be added to that list.
Michael Keaton gives a brilliant performance as Ken Feinberg, the man tasked with calculating how much the families of the victims should be compensated. That might sound like a dry subject but in fact it makes a totally engrossing story. Feinberg initially thinks that a reasonably simple formula, based largely on the deceased persons’ income, can be used. But he soon is overwhelmed by the individual special circumstances of each victim whilst coming under mounting pressure from lawyers to increase the compensation for the wealthiest people.
I found myself completely enthralled by the story. Writer Max Borenstein presents a complex narrative in a clear and compelling way. As well as Keaton, there are excellent performances from Amy Ryan as his work partner in just a few telling scenes, Stanley Tucci as a grieving but determined widower and Tate Donovan as a slimy lawyer.
I felt that the last 15 minutes or so were a little bit too calculated to make viewers shed a tear, but on the whole, director Sara Colangelo keeps the story from becoming too sentimental or patriotic.
Worth is available on Netflix.
Rating: 9 out of 10