TEAM SPIRIT/ L’ OUTSIDER/ THE OUTSIDER

France, 2016, 117 minutes, Colour.
Arthur Dupont, François- Xavier Demaison, Sabrina Ouazani.
Directed by Christophe Barratier.

There is something of a tradition about films which focus on stock exchanges – especially since the 1987 Wall Street and its 2010 sequel. There has also been Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street as well as dramas like Boiler Room and Margin Call. This film is in that vein – and is entitled The Outsider rather than the English title, Team Spirit.

The film starts rather grimly with an interrogation of one of the workers at the exchange and his subsequent suicide. The film introduces a young man, Jerome Kerviel (Arthur Dupont giving a substantial performance), and goes back eight years. It traces then the rise and rise of Jerome, a whizzkid at his screens and with his phone, making money, ingratiating himself with authorities, collaborating with his fellow workers.

Rise and decline, fall. In the difficult years of the first decade of the 21st century, after 9/11 and with the Global Financial Crisis, and Jerome’s increasing self-confidence and promotion, he begins taking risks, overstepping his authority, hiding billions. Eventually, he is called before the authorities.

The story is based on actual events and the career of Jerome Kerviel who eventually goes to prison and has a debt of billions – but, the final information given is that he did not spend so much time in jail and has instituted appeals concerning his convictions.

Most of the action takes place on the floor of the exchange which makes the experience somewhat frantic as the audience watches the frenzied activities of the buyers and sellers.

1. Based on a true story? The career and downfall of Jerome Kerviel? His biography, historical records, court records?

2. The Paris settings, the focus on the offices of Societe Generale? Outside, apartments, family home, nightclubs? The musical score?

3. Tradition of films about stock exchanges, shares and sales, the frantic nature of the floor, the frenzy of the buyers and sellers?

4. The historical background, French finance, Societe Generale? The impact of 9/11? The aftermath? Wheeling and dealing? The personalities involved? The amounts of money? The risks? Deceit, covers? Exposes? Consequences? Suicides? Officials being fired? Taken to court? Prison?

5. The film creating its atmosphere, confining most of its action to the floors, the agents and their interactions, mainly men, macho styles? The role of women? The ages of the men, the bosses, long experience, the up-and-coming young men, the characters, capacities, hard work, enthralled by the work, seduced into taking risks? Self-confidence?

6. The opening, the officials and the interrogation, the man being fired, taking his boxes, going to the dump, killing himself? The resumption of this narrative point?

7. Jerome, age, personality, his parents, his father’s disapproval yet pride, his mother? His father’s illness and death, Jerome going home? The personal potential?

8. At work, his skills, speed at work, Keller and his encouraging him? The narrative going back eight years, the forward progress, his work, making friends, the associates, the boss? The gatherings, the socials? At the strip club? At the annual get-together and the Zorro play?

9. Business over the years, buying and selling, timetables, the end of the day, reviewing the work? The boss, interactions with Jerome? Seeing him in the restaurant with the woman?

10. Sofia, her place at work, her friendships, relationships, hostility towards Jerome, change of attitude, supporting him? And the disillusionment? Jerome and the possibility of his transfer to New York?

11. The time passing, the new associate, black, opportunities? The growing risks, making money, under the carpet, the billions?

12. Suspicions, timing, the effect on Jerome? Global financial situations?

13. The interrogation, his denials, his wanting opportunities to save himself, the reaction of the fellow workers?

14. His being exposed, going to prison? The short time served? Legal implications? The information at the end of the film about his further appeals?