WORTH is a powerful film that ponders the question, “What is the value of a life?” It is based upon true events that occurred soon after 9/11.
Michael Keaton portrays Ken Feinberg, who was asked by President Bush, to chair the 9/11 Victims’ Compensation Fund Committee. Congress gave him two years to create a reasonable and fair way to calculate the value of each life lost. The list included everyone involved in that horrific moment of history.
The plot thickens as Feinberg and his staff comes against every possible scenario making it virtually impossible to propose a just solution and distribution of money.
The best and saddest part of this story was hearing who some of these people were and how they died. The writers included their flaws as well as their strengths and bravery. It was difficult to hear and watch but necessary. These human beings were everyday people who died years before their time and were not given the opportunity to say final goodbyes or get their affairs in order.
Stanley Tucci and Amy Ryan were superb, but this movie belonged to Keaton. The director and editors were patient and allowed the actors the gift of silence and not filling it up with empty, unnecesasary dialogue. It was masterful.
WORTH is not an action film. Instead, it is a necessary part of our past that too many of us know nothing about and should. This year marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11. If not now, then, when? What is a life WORTH?
WORTH is available to stream on Netflix.
