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Dome Pondering Movie Review: Margin Call (2011)


What is it about? 

An entry-level finance manager uncovers a great problem during an economic downturn that will affect the company, the finance world, and their individual lives forever. 

Who is in it? 

Zachary Quinto - Peter sullivan

Stanley Tucci - Eric Dale

Kevin Spacey - Sam Rogers

Paul Bettany - Will Emerson

Favorite Scene: 

The Final Scene [SPOILER ALERT]

Where we learn that Sam needs the money after losing everything he has, and must now go against his morals during the financial crisis for the big pay day. 

Favorite Quote: 

So you think we might have put a few people out of business today. That its all for naught. You've been doing that everyday for almost forty years Sam. And if this is all for naught then so is everything out there. Its just money; its made up. Pieces of paper with pictures on it so we don't have to kill each other just to get something to eat. It's not wrong. And it's certainly no different today than its ever been. 1637, 1797, 1819, 37, 57, 84, 1901, 07, 29, 1937, 1974, 1987-Jesus, didn't that f--- up me up good-92, 97, 2000 and whatever we want to call this. It's all just the same thing over and over; we can't help ourselves. And you and I can't control it, or stop it, or even slow it. Or even ever-so-slightly alter it. We just react. And we make a lot money if we get it right. And we get left by the side of the side of the road if we get it wrong. And there have always been and there always will be the same percentage of winners and losers. Happy foxes and sad sacks. Fat cats and starving dogs in this world. Yeah, there may be more of us today than there's ever been. But the percentages-they stay exactly the same. 

Review: 

Margin Call is a very good movie. The film works as a sneak peak in on a company on the verge of a major financial crisis. The authenticity and the brutally honest depiction of the characters are eye opening and really gives the movie a relative feel. From the unqualified executives to the underutilized and potential-filled entry-level manager, to the cold feelings involved in letting long-time employees go, Margin Call is filled with the nuances that shamelessly occur. 

However, what really makes Margin Call a good watch is the great acting. Everyone involved in this movie delivers, which is a must for a film based on story-telling through dialogue, and isn't filled with overly exciting and dramatic scenes to carry it along. 

Margin Call is a good film for those interested in another perspective of the 2008-2009 financial downturn, what may have happened during this time, and what possibly happens in financial firms across the world. It may not be overly entertaining for those who can't bear the slow-progression, but the acting, talent, and overall intrigue should definitely keep you hooked. 

Review: 3/5

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