This is one of those extremely small scale independent movies that most readers haven’t been exposed to. The movie IS in a few hundred theaters now (where I saw it) but is also on demand so anyone with cable can watch it. I can’t exactly tell you to drive two hundred miles–what I used to do when I really wanted to see a movie and it was only in Atlanta–but I will say it’s worth paying six dollars to watch it on demand in the convenience of your home.
What Works: This movie is about a major investment bank that discovers most of its mortgage backed securities are worthless and their attempt to dump them into an unsuspecting market before anyone knows the difference. Now I enjoy that plot and also the excellent cast making financial speak come alive (Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Jeremy Irons, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany). I also like that it captures Wall Street how it really is–bad guys get away, a fall guy takes the blame–instead of how we would like it to be (a la Tower Heist).
What Doesn’t Work: The true plot of the movie doesn’t really kick in until two-thirds of the way through. I can’t complain much as what we’ve seen until that point is pretty compelling but I would have liked this movie (which is only 93 minutes) to be a little longer. Also, some scenes feel more inert than the filmmakers intended, and others could be a lot tighter. The cast can only do so much with direction that isn’t the best in the world and a final scene that overreaches for profound.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Had a few more scenes where this ace cast gets to uncork and really let loose. [For an investment bank on the verge of collapse, most characters are remarkably self-contained.] Something like that would also help fully explore the movie’s message–that Wall Street contains a selfishness that has become sociopathic–instead of just having it nibble around the edges.
I have not heard of this movie but will be checking it out now!!!