This is our movie review of GREED - yes, yes, we know this might seem a little off-brand but we are highly recommending this as a MUST watch even though it has nothing to do with being vegan! In our opinion (well, mine!) GREED is a great way to highlight the message about modern slavery. In this world, where there is so much information available, people still seem unaware about what they’re purchasing and where those items are coming from. Watching this movie, potentially sends this message. So, what is GREED about?

Greed is a satirical story of self-made British billionaire Sir Richard McCreadie, whose retail empire is in crisis. For 30 years he has ruled the world of retail fashion, bringing high street fashion to the catwalk and the catwalk to the high street. However, after a damaging public inquiry, his image is tarnished. To save his reputation, he (in a true capitalist manner) decides to bounce back with a highly publicised and outrageously extravagant party to celebrate his 60th birthday. This is set on the Greek island of Mykonos.

Actor Steve Coogan plays the main character, Sir Richard McCreadie who many have suggested is based on Sir Philip Green (owner of TopShop, TopMan, etc). Together with writer and director Michael Winterbottom, the aim of the movie is to target bosses of multinational companies, who they say are turning over "massive profits" while factories they use in developing nations like Sri Lanka pay their workers about $4 a day - just heartbreaking.

Although the movie highlights the imbalance of the world’s wealth throughout, the end credits are not to be missed. The film really focuses on the story of a man (and his company) so consumed by greed that his rise to the top is at the expense of others - it looks at the direct cause and effect between his disregard for others and the disastrous consequences it can have. Although the movie is fiction, the statistics at the end are all true - and there are some shocking statistics about the wildly low wages that workers earn for manufacturing the clothes that we wear.  That the majority of those paid so badly are women is especially hard to bear. These are some of the statistics the movie presents:

THE 26 RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OWN AS MUCH AS THE POOREST 3.8 BILLION

80% OF GARMENT WORKERS ARE WOMEN

THESE WOMEN GET PAID AROUND $7 A DAY TO MAKE CLOTHES FOR MANY FAMOUS HIGH STREET BRANDS

9 OUT OF 10 BILLIONAIRES ARE MEN

THE TOP 10 FASHION BRANDS MADE MORE THAN $18 BILLION PROFITS IN 2018

- Sally (@sal_souter)