Worth (2020)
The film opens with Kenneth Feinberg detailing the law’s recognition of the monetary value of a person’s life to his class at Columbia University. Some time later, the September 11 attacks occur. Feinberg is appointed the Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund while his law partner, Camille Biros, is appointed as his administrative deputy. Feinberg develops a rigid formula for each payout based on the victim’s income, and is instructed that if he cannot convince at least 80% of the 7000 estimated victims to sign on then they will be eligible to file a lawsuit which they may lose (as well as the pressure from the political administrations to save the airlines from being sued, leading to financial disaster). Feinberg is given until January 1, 2004 to accomplish this.
At an introductory meeting with victims in which he attempts to explain the rules governing the fund, Feinberg is perceived as insensitive to the loss of the hostile audience. The crowd is calmed when Charles Wolf, the husband of a woman killed in the attacks, demands that they listen to what Feinberg has to say. After the meeting, Feinberg is confronted by Frank, the brother of a deceased FDNY firefighter, Nick Donato. His brother had reentered the tower to find him after communication, which may not have reached Nick, warned that the building would fail. Frank requests that Feinberg include this information in the report to remedy this flaw in the communication system for first responders. Feinberg also is disturbed to learn that Wolf was offended by the callous nature of the fund’s formula and has started a protest group.
Date of download: 2015-11-11T17:22:34+00:00
Cast:  Michael KeatonKen Feinberg  Amy RyanCamille Biros  Stanley TucciCharles Wolf  Tate DonovanLee Quinn  Shunori RamanathanPriya Khundi  Laura BenantiKaren Donato  Talia BalsamDede Feinberg |
The film opens with Kenneth Feinberg detailing the law’s recognition of the monetary value of a person’s life to his class at Columbia University. Some time later, the September 11 attacks occur. Feinberg is appointed the Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund while his law partner, Camille Biros, is appointed as his administrative deputy. Feinberg develops a rigid formula for each payout based on the victim’s income, and is instructed that if he cannot convince at least 80% of the 7000 estimated victims to sign on then they will be eligible to file a lawsuit which they may lose (as well as the pressure from the political administrations to save the airlines from being sued, leading to financial disaster). Feinberg is given until January 1, 2004 to accomplish this.
At an introductory meeting with victims in which he attempts to explain the rules governing the fund, Feinberg is perceived as insensitive to the loss of the hostile audience. The crowd is calmed when Charles Wolf, the husband of a woman killed in the attacks, demands that they listen to what Feinberg has to say. After the meeting, Feinberg is confronted by Frank, the brother of a deceased FDNY firefighter, Nick Donato. His brother had reentered the tower to find him after communication, which may not have reached Nick, warned that the building would fail. Frank requests that Feinberg include this information in the report to remedy this flaw in the communication system for first responders. Feinberg also is disturbed to learn that Wolf was offended by the callous nature of the fund’s formula and has started a protest group.
