Rent Greed (2019)

Everything that's wrong with globalised capitalism - Greed review by NK

Steve Coogan plays 'Sir Richard "Greedy" McCready', a nasty, asset-stripping high street vulture in this satire in which Sir Philip Green is bound to recognise himself. Portraying himself as a bit of a cheeky barrow boy made good, a "self-made" man, despite his privileged private school upbringing, 'Sir Richard' sets out to fleece anyone at a disadvantage to him right from childhood. A great comedy which makes some important points about the way obscene wealth for the few is created from the poverty and misery of the many.

Surprisingly profound - Greed review by Martyn

I expected a light comedy, and Steve Coogan is not my favorite comedian, but this is surprisingly deep. It's funny alright, with the best lines going to the self-effacing shadowing ghost-writer, who keeps saying he thinks he not good at telling jokes while being the real comedian. Broad in scope, with realistic portrayals of life for ordinary women in Sri Lanka. Can't say from experience how realistic was the portrayal of the lives of billionaires in Monaco but it was certainly entertaining. If you're an enthusiast for global free-market capitalism you may find this uncomfortable.

Ok, but preachy - Greed review by RD

Much of what I have to say has been said by other reviewers.

There are some amusing moments, mostly in the flashbacks to youth. The cast is star-studded.

But it does suffer from the preachy message it rams down the throat of the viewer.

I think we all agree that sweatshops are bad, but I'm not exactly sure how the makers are expecting businesses to operate. The lower the costs, the greater the profits. And profits are the goal of business, especially for public companies.

It's hypocritical to demonise capitalism whilst at the same time being avid consumers with iPads, £1000 iPhones, disposable fashion replaced every week, etc. etc.

And sensationalist messages such as 'sweatshop workers earn the equivalent of £3.63 a day' are meaningless if compared to UK living as is the intention.

Will you stop looking at me like that? - Greed review by AB

It would be funny if it wasn't so close to the truth. There's only so many laughs - generally one-liners - you can get out of somebody's objectionable personality and values, when you know how many people's lives they have ruined. Think of this as an expose more than a comedy, and hope the bastard can grow some sense of shame.

Rather watch an ad break - Greed review by SO

Awful I watched about half an hour and after that couldn't stand it any longer. Terrible acting particularly from the horrible Steve Coogan who I normally avoid like the plague. Horrible script, editing, what directing ? Just don't bother there are adverts on better made than this. Sad and so pathetic.

Entertaining Satirical Mockumentary - Greed review by GI

A satirical melodrama that is fun even if a little unsubtle that delves into the moral squalor of the super rich. This is epitomised by the character of Sir Richard 'Greedy' McCreadie (Steve Coogan), a billionaire high street retailer and clearly a caricature of the odious Sir Philip Green. Having suffered a big dose of bad publicity after appearing at a parliamentary select committee the film follows McCreadie as he sets up for a lavish 60th birthday party on a Greek island, which includes a roman theme, a wooden coliseum and a lion called Clarence. Isla Fisher plays Richard's awful ex-wife, Samantha and David Mitchell is a writer hired to write Richard's biography. The film follows a rockumentary style as it gradually reveals the lengths McCreadie will go to exploit and suppress people in order to make any profit. Coogan gives a sound performance even though he's not tested by the role because the script doesn't push the boundaries as it weaves between a bit of farce to the very real issue of the exploitation of women around the world who make the clothes the big retailers sell. The support cast are excellent and include Asa Butterfield, Stephen King (in a cameo as himself), and Shirley Henderson as McCreadie's mother. The film has a nice structure and is edited well to show McCreadie's rise from expulsion from a public school to hustling in London's rag trade. Not everything works here but it's an entertaining and at times thought provoking film.

We couldn't get through it - even daughters didn't get the sub-plots - Greed review by MT

What killed the film for me were the strange and irrelevant sub-plots in the film which just distracted from the main theme of the film. Can't blame Steve or the other actors, just a screenplay which went awry. Shame but we all gave up on it. Not often I don't stick a film out to the end but this was an exception!