Trust: Il rapimento Getty

The first episode was a very well balanced blend of action, character development, humor, unpredictability and intensity. Also great scenery, and a nice incorporation of the culture of the 1970's.

I have absolutely no idea where this series is going, but it's easy to get invested in the characters - something that is often overlooked in new series.

I watched this on Netflix, and although it wasn't a Netflix production it follows the Netflix formula: ten hour long episodes per season. There was no need for this to be ten hours long. There was enough story to fill three, maybe four, episodes. The first couple of episodes were quite good. But then, true to the Netflix formula, there is an extraordinary amount of filler, like the butler storyline and one episode is spent almost exclusively on covering the confirmation of the son of one of the kidnappers.

I am sick and tired of the "slow burn" fad. Making something progress slowly does not automatically make it good.

That said, the acting is good, especially Sutherland and Brendan Fraser. Nice to see that he's back in the game. My main gripe is that the actor playing the main character, who is supposed to be 16 years old, looks far too old, like he's in his mid 20's.

If you have ten hours to spare, this is a good series to watch. Although I recommend having the fast forward button at the ready.

On a side note, one of the locations in the movie is the restaurant Sabatini in Trastevere, Rome. Whatever you do, do NOT go to that restaurant. They are famous for scamming tourists by adding "service" charges printed with minimal letters hidden away in the menu. Wildly expensive and garbage quality, a true tourist trap.

Every episode reminds you that the dialogue is well, pretty much fact - but I have a hard time not believing the show took extreme liberties with the facts. That said, I definitely enjoyed the series very much. It's one of those, "OK just one more...OK just one more then I'm going to bed. OK just one more..." things that keeps you up too late. Donald Sutherland is GREAT as J. Paul Getty and even resembles the original JPG. I'm going to give Donald a .362 score as related in baseball batting averages for the entire season. The next heavy hitter is Brendan Fraser as the likable Fletcher Chace, with a BA of .340 and a lot of dingers. Luca Marinelli as Primo is a SOLID 3rd baseman with a strong arm hitting .309 with zeero errors. Fine actor. Silas Carson as the butler is impeccable, a .325 hitter and an errorless season. Harris Dickinenson as JPG III was a touted first round pick but ended up hitting .234 with too many strikeouts. Much of the show takes place in Italy, where they speak Italian - so I read what they were saying. I'd say the whole Italian cast did a fantastic job, most outstanding - Primo - see above. Beautifully filmed, most scenes take place at The Mansion or in Italy. Watch it, you will like.

It's 1973. John Paul Getty (Donald Sutherland) rules his family and oil business empire with an iron fist. His guests have to use the payphone inside his home. When his son George kills himself in Hollywood, he squashes any suggestions of a suicide in the family. Every one of his children is a disappointment to him. He pits his family and his live-in mistresses against each other. His free-spirited 16 year old grandson J. Paul Getty III shows up at the family English compound for George's funeral. The grandfather is taken with his relatively smart grandson and installs him as his heir apparent. While they clash over his need for cash, they do bond over their womanizing ways. The boy's estranged father outs his hard partying ways and the grandfather disowns him. Back in Rome, the grandson is kidnapped by criminals for ransom. Gail Getty (Hilary Swank) is the kid's desperate mother. James Fletcher Chace (Brendan Fraser) is the Getty cowboy investigator.

Sutherland is superb. This is fun. It's rich people dysfunction and it's a kidnapping caper. It's a lot of great stuff. There was supposed to be a second season but I don't think we're getting it at this point. That's fine. This show is half acting and half story. I'm sure they could come up with a similar level of story but it was going to be hard to do this without Sutherland. As a limited series, this is a solid ten episodes.

This series was artfully done, well directed and the acting was good throughout. Whole the series could've been shorter, it felt a bit drawn out, but it was also kind of incredible to see this story laid out so extensively. All in all I highly recommend it. I thought it was great. The show stealer for me was definitely Brendan Fraser as narrator in the role of Fletcher Chase. He was so good. Most definitely my favorite part of this. I've missed seeing him play leading roles. And now it won't let me post unless I've written 600 characters so here's the blah blah blah bs to meet that stupid rule. Whatever!!!!!!