Den 16-årige John Paul Getty III bliver kidnappet. Hans desperate mor Gail prøver at overtale den stenrige bedstefar til at betale løsesummen, men han nægter. Kidnapperne bliver mere og mere utilregnelige og brutale. I et sidste forsøg på at redde sin dreng allierer hun sig med bedstefarens rådgiver. Sammen hvirvles de ind i et voldsomt kapløb med tiden for at redde Charlies liv. Deres kamp vil i sidste ende vise, at kærlighed trods alt er mere værd end penge.
The year is 1973, the grandson of the richest man in the world - Jean Paul Getti (Christopher Plummer) is kidnapped in Rome. His divorced mother – Gail Harris (Michelle Williams) don’t have the demanded $17 million dollars of ransom but media don’t believe her. She begs her father-in-law to pay for Paul Getty III’s freedom and is devastated when he publicly refuses. At the same time, the oil tycoon asks for support his advisor Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg), who is also a former CIA officer.