[stlrman]

This is very well done!! Great acting ! And they made it exciting. 9 out of 10. Highly recommend !

[Rob Babcock]

I loved it!  This film should be required viewing in order to graduate HS, IMO.  Superbly written and acted and a very concise and accurate assessment of the financial crisis.

[S Clark]

Just watched it.  Probably the best acting ensemble performance of the year.  An insightful look at the mortgage meltdown... and left me with sickly feeling that we didn't learn enough from our past mistakes.  And I agree that is mandatory viewing for all of us that are financially naive. 

[rodge827]

Watched it with my wife a couple of weeks ago and we both thought it was excellent on many levels...Great movie making!
For a couple who were severely hurt from the financial crisis, it brought out many emotions.
We empathized with a some characters and their moral dilemma, but mostly out right anger towards the institutions involved.

This film should be required viewing in order to graduate HS, IMO.

To add Rob, Accounting 1 should be a requirement for all HS students to graduate. If for only one thing a student must learn to manage a checking account, balance the books, and understand how devastating credit overreaching can be. 

Chris

 

[jriggy]

I loved it, too. IMO it should of won best picture. It was a better acted and more dynamic film than Spotlight. I almost feel like the Academy chose Spotlight for other reasons --like just to get that story out there more. Just a thought though, I just didn't feel it was as good as many other films last year.

[persisting1]

It was one of my favorite films of the year. Kept me on the edge of my seat.

[Folsom]

Nicely made film. Can't say I feel good after watching it.

[JoshK]

I haven't watched it.  I usually do not like these type of films as they are usually painful to watch for those of us who work in the industry and lived it first hand.  Painful as in usually way too hollywood'ized and dumbed down.  But some of my coworkers have said stuff about it meaning that is was fairly accurate.  So I may give it a watch at some point. 

[BobM]

Redbox has it. Watching it tonight.

[persisting1]

I haven't watched it.  I usually do not like these type of films as they are usually painful to watch for those of us who work in the industry and lived it first hand.  Painful as in usually way too hollywood'ized and dumbed down.  But some of my coworkers have said stuff about it meaning that is was fairly accurate.  So I may give it a watch at some point.

They actually "dumb it down" intentionally because it seems like fiction. It's hard to believe as a viewer that any of it could actually happen. When I say dumb it down I mean they hold your hand and spell it out for you. It worked perfectly.

[BobM]

I actually understand this stuff, having working in financial services for several decades. They did a good job at dumbing it down and explaining it to the layman, explaining what the instruments are and how they work, what leverage is, and conveying the severity of the fraud that was gong on during the crisis.

What they didn't do well at all is to show the size of the bond market and how it really almost did take down the worlds financial markets, or how the government basically protected the banks and the ratings agencies (basically they had to to prevent the same).

All in all my wife and daughter now understand a little more of the crisis and what could have happened.

I'd rate it at 3.5 stars for enjoyability, and maybe 4 for telling a story with a difficult concept in an understandable way.

[underdog64]

Great Movie! Looks like most people stayed away as there were plenty of copies at multiple Redboxes in my area.A movie for those who typically don't like movies about Wall Street and Banking in general.

[Folsom]

I actually understand this stuff, having working in financial services for several decades. They did a good job at dumbing it down and explaining it to the layman, explaining what the instruments are and how they work, what leverage is, and conveying the severity of the fraud that was gong on during the crisis.

What they didn't do well at all is to show the size of the bond market and how it really almost did take down the worlds financial markets, or how the government basically protected the banks and the ratings agencies (basically they had to to prevent the same).

All in all my wife and daughter now understand a little more of the crisis and what could have happened.

I'd rate it at 3.5 stars for enjoyability, and maybe 4 for telling a story with a difficult concept in an understandable way.

I feel the movie helped me understand a little bit of this and that better. Sadly it helped me understand why we're looking at another problem occurring even this year. I don't think it'll be the same, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hit a serious null with a depressed market. There's instability already.

It's a bit scary we're literally in a position where we need people in that industry to not screw us, because the average person doesn't have the slightest clue as to what they and everyone needs to do to prevent problems otherwise.

I think the movie conveys this, actually. None of the actors (minor pun) that understand this feel like they have the power to really do anything about it. Even if they don't like it, they find themselves doing it. The Dr. even went back to playing with money despite only doing commodity trading with water with no wishes for the market; or so he thought.

[mcgsxr]

Thought it was an excellent movie.  Well acted, and with great cameo's.

My brother trades wholesale for a bank, and what he has talked about has evaded me for 20+ years.  This movie helped put it in perspective.

Sad story to be sure, millions affected and a lot of guys made out very well before the big fall.

Hopefully we have all learned from the multiple bubbles and bursts and frauds.

[jarcher]

This was an excellent and important movie - if only for that reason I would have given it the Oscar vs Spotlight. Not that it wasn't a good movie - but ultimately the housing crash and global financial crisis it predicated was a more important story affecting more people - and this movie did a very good job telling it even if adopted a "fast and fun" tone. I don't remember the person portrayed by Carell (Mark Baum) being so indignant about cashing in reading the book - but that's a minor quibble.

[James Romeyn]

I loved it!  This film should be required viewing in order to graduate HS, IMO.  Superbly written and acted and a very concise and accurate assessment of the financial crisis.

Did they cover Obama's "Justice" Dept. Lannie Brewer and Eric Holder lying about Federal Law, and colluding with the banks so they got away with major felonies?  I've seen/heard/read plenty on this subject, and none hold a candle to this: https://youtu.be/eHgbRYgpGGs

Pres. Clinton imprisoned >1k after the S&L corruption, which cost about $130B.  All Obama did was insure every banker walked, after they stole >$10T. 

[Rob Babcock]

Yeah, they didn't go into as much depth about the aftermath as they did the actual events but they did end with that.

[James Romeyn]

Thanks, Rob. I'll get the movie. 

We all get dozens of video links every day.  I'm as skeptical about such links as anyone.  I didn't watch that link I posted till a few days later.  IMO, if he/she was so inclined, a future President/DOJ Chief could convict Lead Prosecutor Lannie Brewer and Eric Holder of major felonies, including but not limited to conspiracy with the bankers.

When PBS/Frontline publicly "busted" (outed) Brewer for his blatant and clearly obvious lies, he quit the Justice Dept.   Don't cry any tears for Lannie.  He walked through the doors of the largest Law Office defending white collar criminals, @ $4M/annual. 

Who joined him at that law office the day after he left the "Justice Dept?"  Eric Holder.

Immediately after Brewer perjured himself at Congress, then left his job, his hench woman waltzed right into Congress and committed the exact same perjury. 

Where do you think she works today?  With Brewer in the same law office.  This stuff blows away any fictional story. 

The video shows Brewer's words on the left side of the screen, while he commits perjury to Congress, with the actual text of the Federal Laws about which Brewer lies through his teeth displayed on the right side of the screen. 

The movie is slick and professional as anything ever made for its purpose.  Everyone who made the video claims credit by name.  In the end they attach mafia crime syndicate labels to images of Brewer and Holder, etc.  If the claims were not rock solid, Brewer and Holder would own them.  As it is now, if Brewer and Holder sued, the sole result is to prove the crimes to the public, and risk the next President being forced to toss them in jail to rot and die, where they richly deserve, all their family wealth give back to the public. 

The above two guys make Nixon's White House look like pikers, and this is no exaggeration, and I have little sympathy for Nixon. 

Both major parties should be banned for national office for at least a half C.  I can only presume many Republicans in Congress know exactly what happened, how the "Justice Dept." conspired with their Wall Street over lords to insure every single banker walked.   

[Mike B.]

I thought the dumbed down explanations by guest stars was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed this film also. I guess it is a like watching a trainwreck of epic proportions in slowmotion.