2021 • Michael Keaton, Amy Ryan
Summary
Worth follows lawyer Kenneth Feinberg as he is appointed to lead the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and must determine how much money each victim’s family should receive.
Dramatizations & Historical Liberties
1. Feinberg’s personal motivation is entirely fictional
The film gives Feinberg a close friend who died in the attacks, creating a deeply personal drive. In reality, Feinberg had no personal connection to 9/11. He was chosen purely for his expertise in mass tort litigation.
2. Victim stories
Several key families and individuals shown (including the firefighter’s widow and the young boy) are composites or entirely fictional. Their emotional confrontations and personal struggles were created to represent broader experiences.
3. Dramatized confrontations
The movie features multiple intense, public shouting matches and emotional breakdowns. In reality, while some families were angry, most interactions were administrative meetings, not the dramatic confrontations shown.
4. “One-size-fits-all” criticism
The film suggests Feinberg stubbornly applied a rigid formula and only later saw the error of his ways. In reality, the standardized economic valuation system was required by Congress, and Feinberg fought hard to add a discretionary pain-and-suffering component despite significant political pressure.
5. Lasting controversy
The movie ends with a strong sense of fairness and closure. In reality, many families felt the awards were unfair or insufficient, and Feinberg faced years of criticism and lawsuits over the valuation methodology.