Gold 2016

     This film is based on a magazine story but with many of the details changed or embellished.  Kenny Wells is a fourth-generation prospector.  When his father dies suddenly, the Wahoe Mining business begins to decline.  Kenny has a dream that he thinks will put him back in business and in the money again.  He sees mountains of brilliant and pure gold in the jungle of Indonesia.  Kenny flies to Indonesia and he meets Michael Acosta.  Kenny convinces Michael to become his partner and they will go into the jungle and find this gold.

     Matthew McConaughey shaved his head, gained 45 pounds and wore false teeth to become the least attractive he could be to play this character.  He ate cheeseburgers, drank beer and milk shakes to gain the weight.  His character is almost never without a cigarette or a glass of whiskey.  I expected him to keel over and die any minute!!  He does almost die from malaria in the jungle.  Wells and Acosta can smell the gold, they can taste the gold and they just need to find the gold.  Then the wild rides starts with everyone wanting to latch onto this sure thing moneymaker!!  3 ½* (I liked this movie)      

120 min, Adventure directed by Stephen Gaghan with Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bill Camp, Joshua Harto, Timothy Simons, Craig T. Nelson, Macon Blair, Adam LeFevre, Frank Wood.

Note:  Imdb 6.7 out of 10, 43% critic 46% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 185 reviews,

Special Note:  Filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Reno, Nevada; New York; Indonesia and Thailand.  McConaughey stated to ESPN that this was his favorite role.  Michelle Williams was cast in the role of Kay but she dropped out and Bryce Dallas Howard replaced her after filming had already started.  Gold is based on the Bre-X scandal about a Canadian company.