Lifetime Review: 'Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story'

Synopsis:

Having grown up poor, Zuri Brown (Monique Coleman) has always craved a life of luxury. So when her work as an interior designer and charity volunteer opens the door for her to secure such a life, Zuri can't resist the temptation. She meets self-made businesswoman Cassandra Vivian "Miss Viv" Anderson (LisaRaye McCoy) and her equally successful cousin Godfrey (Eric Benét) and is quickly drawn in by their beautiful homes and bountiful careers. She even finds herself being seduced by Godfrey's charm, much to the consternation of her boyfriend Stephon (Nathan Witte). But Zuri's benefactors aren't all they appear to be--and her greed could cost her everything she has.

Story:

Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story is the latest installment in Lifetime's Seven Deadly Sins saga, and since the Victoria Christopher Murray book series that it's based on currently ends at four books, it might be the last for the time being. Much like Wrath, Greed provides the ideal mix of character drama and Lifetimey action. Peppered into Zuri's descent into decadence are scenes where we see the true faces of Godfrey and Miss Viv, alluding to the danger that Zuri's greed is leading her towards. Thanks to the steady pacing, you'll stay invested in both Zuri's fall from grace and the more Lifetimey dealings going on with the Andersons. On the downside, the climax (while fiery and on-brand for Lifetime) doesn't go as far as it could've and ends rather anticlimactically with SPOILER ALERT Stephon knocking out Miss Viv with a single punch before he and Zuri escape her burning mansion. Though it does act as a nice bit of irony that the ultra greedy Miss Viv is ultimately defeated by a man she looked down on for being a "starving artist." Spoilers Over

Characters:

The story is aided by the fact that the characters involved in it are intriguingly developed. While Zuri's personality shift may annoy you, the script allows you to understand why she acts the way she does after she starts working with the Andersons. Between her impoverished childhood and the insecurities it left her with, it makes sense that she'd get swept up in her first taste of the high life--and be willing to resort to underhanded methods to keep it. Zuri's career insecurities also explain why she gets so frustrated by Stephon not having the same ambition as her. In short, while her actions and attitude may irritate you at times, Zuri's history and genuine remorse once she finally realizes how far she's fallen keep you from fully condemning her.

Her new associates, however, prove themselves to be very condemnable. While outwardly friendly and dedicated to helping the less fortunate, Godfrey and Miss Viv show their true motivations in private: to keep themselves rich, regardless of who gets hurt in the process. At the same time, they both have more than enough charisma to make you believe they'd be able to entice Zuri into joining them and trick others into seeing them as benevolent philanthropists. In private, they're as egocentric as they come--and the scariest part is that they presumably started out just like Zuri. The only difference is that their desires grew to the point where morality and the lives of others became expendable to them.

Opposite the amoral Andersons are Zuri's level-headed boyfriend Stephon and her compassionate father Oscar. While Oscar is hands down the purest soul of the character roster, Stephon is a little more thorny. Despite being established as an aspiring artist, it never comes across that Stephon is putting all that much effort into his craft. In fact, an argument between him and Zuri is started by him turning down a good opportunity she lined up for him to get his art career off the ground. With all that in mind, it's hard not to agree with Zuri when she calls Stephon out for being so complacent, even if Stephon is right about Zuri becoming money-hungry. On the other hand, when Zuri breaks up with Stephon for Godfrey, Stephon shows his heart of gold by being there for the ailing Oscar and offering him and Zuri help when the latter hits rock bottom. I just wish Stephon's faults were explored the way Zuri's are. Instead, those faults are treated as if they don't even exist.

Acting:

While Zuri and Stephon may not be entirely equal when it comes to their characterizations, their actors are. Despite Stephon's pricklier moments, Nathan Witte makes you feel for the guy as he gets demeaned by his girlfriend and degraded by her snobbish new associates. Monique Coleman makes for a stellar lead as the ethically challenged Zuri. She's fantastic when Zuri is racked with guilt and shame and is just as great when her character is at her worst. Coleman plays Zuri's materialistic spiral in a way that keeps you from seeing Zuri as irredeemably selfish. Instead, you see her as a woman who's let her desire for a better life cloud her judgment. Coleman shares strong chemistry with both Witte and Joe Costa, the latter of whom plays Zuri's father. Costa plays Oscar Brown with a consistent sense of fatherly pride and love, which fits perfectly with Oscar being one of the few characters in this movie who never loses track of their moral compass.

Godfrey and Miss Viv couldn't be more unlike Oscar if they tried, something Eric Benét and LisaRaye McCoy keep in mind with their performances. The pair takes on the Anderson cousins' cold-heartedness with effortless ease and do the same with the veneers Godfrey and Miss Viv use to fool the public and lure Zuri into their web. Of the two, the suave Godfrey has the more intoxicating charisma, with Benét laying it on like a smooth coat of paint. He makes it believable that Zuri would fall for Godfrey's slick seduction and grand promises to help her get everything she's ever wanted.

As for Miss Viv, McCoy plays the take-no-prisoners businesswoman as a different kind of manipulator. She lures Zuri in with the same promises as Godfrey, but treats Zuri as a protégé she wishes to mold into a tycoon, using their shared ambitions to talk Zuri into helping her break the law. Once Zuri wises up, McCoy handles Miss Viv's swift turnaround like it's nothing, making her even more intimidating than her just-as-callous-but-not-quite-as-ruthless cousin. While the climax may not have been as grand as it could've been, McCoy is certainly having fun as Miss Viv reveals just how far she's willing to go to protect her empire.

Overall:

If Greed does turn out to be the last deadly sin covered in this film series, it's ending the franchise on a good note. While it fumbles Stephon's characterization a bit and could've added a little more heat to its big finale, the movie as a whole entertains you as much as it makes you feel for its characters. Zuri is a generally good person, even in the midst of her negative transformation. Her friends and family are loving and supportive. You might even feel a little bit of sympathy for the villains who lead Zuri astray. After all, from the sounds of it, Godfrey and Miss Viv started out as good people before their desire not to return to poverty corrupted them. As long as you're not feeling greedy and looking for a completely flawless Lifetime movie, Greed should have enough drama and depth to satisfy you.

Score: 8 out of 10 donation baskets.