I had hoped to like Margin Call more than I did. Margin Call is loosely based on the financial meltdown at Lehman Brothers. Kevin Spacey plays a character who has been part of the firm for 34-years and who acts of the conscience of the company. Stanley Tucci’s character, who works in the Risk Management office, discovers a disturbing trend in the trades the firm is making. But before he can completely prove his case, Tucci is fired. Zachary Quinto plays another analyst who takes Tucci’s findings and tweaks them until the truth becomes evident: the firm is already in jeopardy because of their trades in toxic assets. Simon Baker (The Mentalist) and Demi Moore aren’t given much to do. Jeremy Irons shows up as the CEO who will do ANYTHING to save the firm (and his stock options). There’s a subplot about a pet that I found completely gratuitous and phony. Still, this talented cast makes the most of a weak screenplay to portray the beginning of the financial crisis. GRADE: B
It’s a shame the movie isn’t a better one because the subject is so relevant. In fact, just this morning we learned that John Corzine and the equity management (or is it hedge fund?) firm he headed are in deep trouble.
You’re right, Deb. It is a shame MARGIN CALL didn’t have a better script. Too many of the actors had nothing more to do in the film than look pensive. I suspect Corzine’s equity management fund is holding a lot of Greek debt.
I liked it a lot. I think the screenplay was what it needed to be to have people with little financial background to understand it. I liked the claustrophobic feel it gave to the world these people lived in–how little pity they had for the suffering that was coming. And yet they were not treated as classic villains.
Ah well you can see my review on Crimespree later this week.
And IMHO Demi Moore is such a poor actress, I was glad her role was limited. But the rest of the acting was great. Although Quinto needs to lighten up on those eyebrows. He still looks like Spock.
For an even more positive review, see David Denby’s in THE NEW YORKER.
One of those movies that either works for you or doesn’t.
However, if I had to attach a grade to it, my grade would probably be a B too.
I guess this is a case of “knowing too much,” Patti. I thought last year’s INSIDE JOB did a much better job of explaining the finanical crisis. I agree with you on Quinto, he sure does look like Spock in this film!
I have to agree with you on Demi, Patti. She has been in a lot of very successful movies but her acting is almost always weak. The only memorable thing she’s done that comes to mind is GHOST, and virtually anyone could have played that role.
I’m a little more sympathic to Demi Moore than you and Patti are, Jeff. Demi’s best role may have been in DISCLOSURE where she played a corporate executive similar to the one in MARGIN CALL.
Qunito will always be “Sylar” to me.
Patti’s right in pointing out that Qunito seems to be wearing his Spock make-up in MARGIN CALL, Jeff. Those eyebrows!
I probably wouldn’t be happy with anything that humanized the greedy bastards who brought this financial meltdown upon the nation. Sorry, but I put them in the same “BAD” basket as war criminals and serial murderers.
Oh, and as for our first Halloween here: two kids and their dad, and the only reason they came by, we think, was because they are neighbors and they wanted to ask when they could come see the re-landscaped side and back property. Two kids. Wife bought 4 big bags of candy. I won’t eat it. She’s on a just-retired-and-getting-in-shape diet. Next year we’ll just leave the porch light off. Sorry, Tom Bodett.
There’s a big difference between 180 kids and TWO, Rick! As the designated Passer-Out-of-Candy, I managed not to give out any of the Snickers (my favorite!) and few Baby Ruths (Diane’s favorite). But that’s a far cry from four big bags of candy.
I don’t think they really humanized them but they showed their mindset as being about making money and little else. It truly showed the banality of evil. It was scary because they were not Nazis or serial killers, but people ALMOST like us.
Wow, that’s a lot of kids. Around here all the stores on the Avenue have buckets of candy (even the Chinese take out places) and the moms (mostly) take the younger kids around after school. Some go around to the houses at night (and there are always some teenagers looking for trouble), but not many make it into the apartment buildings.
In fact, even though there are a few kids in the building for the last few years we have not had a single trick or treater, which is kind of sad.
I still remember when we were kids and my brother and I and our best friend all dressed as Zorro.
I was Zorro one year, too, Jeff! That was the hot costume for a few years way back when!
We’re in a typical suburban setting and rarely get trick-or-treaters, which leaves me the onerous task of finishing off the candy. Often the cause of such a poor turnout is rain, but last night was clear.
We had some sprinkles, but that didn’t discourage our Trick-or-Treaters, Bob. They’re hard-core.