MARGIN CALL

US, 2011, 117 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary Mc Donnell, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci.
Directed by J.C. Chandor.

Most people were astounded by the revelations of financial mismanagement in US banks and companies during 2008. World finance experienced meltdown. Banks and their representatives bore the brunt of criticism and the benefits of government bailouts. Bankers, in the face of criticism, still awarded themselves huge bonuses over and above their seemingly excessive salaries and benefits. Capitalism running rampant was a demolition
ideology.

Oliver Stone took audiences back to Wall Street and Gordon Gecko told us that greed was now not only good but legal.

Here were have two critical days in 2008 where a company overextending itself completely and officials not heeding risk management advice, approach disaster. The day begins with extensive sackings on a particular floor of a Wall Street building. They include the expert who is on the way to discovering the truth. He is played by Stanley Tucci, which gives the film a firm foundation to build on.

On the floor are two eager young men, Penn Badgely preoccupied with salary size and bonuses, and Zachary Quinto, skilful but with some humanity. The latter is given the risk file and asked to complete the task.

Most of the action takes place over night, with a top cast bringing personalities to life and building up the drama: Kevin Spacey as the floor manager with 34 years of loyalty to the firm; Paul Bettany as a successful self-centred, somewhat cynical salesman; Demi Moore as a self-satisfied adviser and Simon Baker, underestimated because he looks younger than he ought, a ruthless intermediary.

And there is Jeremy irons as the chief executive, shrewdly manipulating his staff and at ease chairing meetings (Rupert Murdoch comes to mind) and proposing radical action that has little regard for people or their lives.

Written and directed by J.C.Chandor, this is a timely look inside a company, simplified enough for most to understand, and powerful enough to prove that greed is not only good and legal, but flourishing.

1. Topical issues? 2008? The United States? Wall Street? Finance, failures, action and consequences?

2. The title, the financial situation, the risk, coping or not?

3. New York City, a one-day period in 2008, the offices, the vistas of New York, the streets? Musical score?

4. The crisis day? Seth and Peter at the beginning, young, at work, observing the people being fired? Will and his role in the office, advice, the warnings? The officials, the assistant, the calling of Eric, the interviews, Eric and his fate?

5. Eric, his skill at work, risk management, being called, the discussion, fired, the harsh official, the assistant and her apologies? Will and his blaming Sarah? Eric confronting Sarah in the street? His phone, cut off? The consequences, set free, the benefits and the package? His giving the file to Peter, warning him to be careful?

6. Sam, his work in the office, thirty-four years, kicked upstairs, loyal, not au fait with modern developments and models? His concern about his dog and its death? His being upset, talking to will, his enthusiastic speech to those who had not been fired? Encouragement?

7. The end of the day, seemingly normal, the group going to the pub, relaxing? The aftermath of the firings? Peter, staying at work, the discovery, the phone call to Seth, summoning Sam and Seth, their arrival, Sam and the explanation, the difficulty of the two weeks, the formula and the model, going beyond the model, the risks turning into realities?

8. Jared, his age, people’s comment on his appearance, his role? Sarah and her role, advice? The mutual blame? Jared and his character, ruthless? Sarah and her haughtiness, advice? Jared staying, Sarah going, John visiting her, the package, her waiting? Heads rolling, John and his explaining this to Sarah? Protecting her? Sarah and her meeting Eric, both suffering the same fate?

9. Jared and John? The meeting of the board? John as a character, his success, his ability to chair the meetings, saying he didn’t have brains, yet his shrewdness, skills, sharp, needing explanations, understanding? The information from Jared and Sarah? The deadlines? His wanting Eric present?

10. John’s plan, selling worthless mortgages? John and his philosophy, his overview of history of financial collapses, winners and losers, non-personal? His trying to persuade Sam about the value of the approach? Sarah and his explanations to her, her taking the blame? Admiring Peter and his skill? At the end of the day, successful, eating, doing the crossword, asking Sam to stay?

11. Seth and Peter, Seth and his focus on salaries and bonuses, talking about these issues, his ambitions? His being sacked, crying in the toilet, seeing Jared shaving? Peter, his skill, the consequences, his background in engineering, the money at the firm, his talking with Sam, his being promoted?

12. The search for Eric, Sam and his search, discussions with Eric, Eric and the long speech about building the bridge, the miles saved in driving, a sense of accomplishment? His return?

13. The scene on the roof, Will standing on the edge, the issue about jumping or falling?

14. The day of selling, the collage of Will, his phone calls, his persuasion, people believing him, taking the risks? Success?

15. Sam and his speech to the staff, encouraging them, the issue of salaries and bonuses? Motivation? John’s speech at the end? The sackings of so many of the workers after the day?

16. Sam, his dog, his wife coming out of the house, burying the dog?

17. The film as a story and critical comment on the behaviour of financiers in 2008? Their causing the global meltdown?