Greedy People Review - Corruption, Consequences & Providence

Greedy People is a whirlwind, Gordon-Levitt’s unhinged performance as Terry took me completely off guard but in a good way, a solid showcase of a loud-mouth corrupt cop. After a major accident occurs at the affluent residence of the Chetlos’ the ultimate issue becomes money, lots of it, million dollars to be specific – Fargoesque film that will have you wondering where the next twist will come from.

In a close-knit community like Providence, it’s often said that everyone is privy to something, and as the film unfolds many lessons can be learned from it, greed has many aspects to it from one perspective we see Will (Himesh Patel) aiming to split the money as he is expecting a baby and wants the best for his family, then you have other people gunning for the money even though they are the “good people” in the story, or so they tell themselves. A must-watch film for 2024!

Don’t kill anybody unless you have to

In a charming island town rather than the snowy Midwest, this story, inspired by Fargo, showcases a colorful array of characters, most charmingly unscrupulous or downright foolish. The intricate plot unfolds when the officer, Will (played by Himesh Patel), responds to an urgent call and nearly shoots a woman (portrayed by Traci Lords, a playful nod to the film’s irreverent nature) who is innocently cooking in her kitchen. She panics and confronts him, leading to a struggle that tragically culminates in her demise.

Will’s partner Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) persuades him to cover their tracks by pinning the murder on a burglar—especially after they stumble upon $1 million in the house, which they opt to split. However, we soon learn that the woman’s husband, a wealthy businessman (Tim Blake Nelson), had already hired a hitman to kill her so he could marry his secretary (Nina Arianda). Naturally, he starts to suspect that he’s been double-crossed and this is when the film begins to go in a different direction with the double-crossing, manipulation, and showcases just how far someone will go to protect their interests.

In no time, it looks like everyone on the island is getting involved in the plan, including a shady massage therapist Keith (played by Simon Rex) offering questionable services; Will’s very pregnant wife (Lily James), who becomes increasingly suspicious of Terry after he “accidentally” runs over her beloved dog – but in the end the film shows how the greedy decisions each person makes leads to even more tragedy and ultimately no winners, well the chief of police (Uzo Aduba) is the only sensible person who seems to have got the best outcome out of everyone.

Greedy People opens in South African Cinemas on Friday, September 20 – Review from a pre-screening at United International Pictures South Africa