The ugly details unfold at warp speed.
Movies don't
get more topical than Margin Call. At a time when the country is
polarized between those who blame the banks for the financial crisis and those
who blame the government, here is a movie that takes a sharp look at the
self-induced collapse of a major Wall Street investment firm. The fact that it
raises more questions than it answers suggests simply that we need Margin
Call, Part II. If ever a story could sustain two films, this is it.
The ugly
details unfold at warp speed in one 24-hour period as an excellent cast conveys
the bewilderment of the stunned executive hierarchy. The trigger? Along with 80%
of the company's workforce, Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci) was fired this morning.
His cell phone and computer were deactivated as he took the now familiar and
humiliating perp walk from office to street carrying the contents of his desk in
a cardboard box. As Eric leaves, he hands Peter (Zachary Quinto) a USB flash
drive and tells him to check on the news it carries: the inevitable and
immediate demise of the firm.
Peter is a
comer, a 28 year old whiz who grasps instantly that the firm's behavior has
exceeded the risk limits of the model set up by the Risk Management group headed
by Sarah Roberts (Demi Moore). That violation, already committed, is fatal. What
to do? In a fascinating look at the behavior of financial men under siege, we
are treated to an escalating drama that rips at the complex mix of their
personal values and business ethics.
The bad news
is passed upward, an announcement of career death to each superior. In short
order the news reaches the top gun, John Tuld (Jeremy Irons) who arrives on the
rooftop by helicopter in the middle of the night for an emergency session with
his managers to design a strategy that must be in place before the Exchange
opens in the morning.
Consummate
actor that he is, Jeremy Irons displays, with few words, all the power and
presence of his position. In a neat nod to a now confused audience, he tells his
subordinates, "Speak to me in plain English." That done, he announces the only
possible course: unwind all the firm's trading positions before the market
catches on, a move that will destroy entirely the firm's reputation in the
financial community.
Kevin Spacey
is terrific as mid-level Sam who wrestles with inner ethics and morals. As Sarah
Roberts, Demi Moore reveals none of the presence that would have gotten her
where she is; Stanley Tucci is grand as the fired executive now released from
performance mode and free to be angry. Zachary Quinto shows the smarts and
strength Peter will need to play by the rules of the game on the path to a
future pinnacle. But it is here, wrapped in impeccable dark suits and
self-protecting restraint, that these men reveal the personal price they have
paid for collective success.
Copyright (c) Illusion