SpecialsTarget Disturbing yet enthralling

Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Orla Zuniga It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Jackson Booth-Millard I knew this film was something to do with business, but I did remember seeing a television review for it, I must have forgotten the time during which it is set, so I was certainly hoping it would be interesting, written and directed by J.C. Chandor (All Is Lost, A Most Violent Year). Basically set in 2008, during a 24-hour period, at an unnamed respected a Wall Street investment bank, the financial company is forced into downsizing. Among the key players let go is head of risk management Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci), following his departure junior risk analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) works late into the night to finish Dale's project. Sullivan discovers the company's financial disaster, due to excessive leverage, the company's assets could decrease rapidly and the firm will go bankrupt, what follows will turn from panicking to double-checking and double-dealing. Sullivan and fellow junior analyst Seth Bregman (Penn Badgley) tell their desk head Will Emerson (Paul Bettany) about the situation, he alerts floor head Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey), they attempt to contact Dale, with no luck. The senior executives include division head Jared Cohen (Simon Baker), chief risk management officer Sarah Robertson (Demi Moore), and finally CEO John Tuld (Jeremy Irons), they will do whatever it takes to lessen the force of intensity in this debacle. A series of meetings occur throughout the night, as the news travels up through the ranks, but whatever decisions are made in terms of staff cuts and all business matters, they will have effects and consequences both morally and financially. Also starring Penn Badgley as Seth Bregman and Mary McDonnell as Mary Rogers. The performances by the all-star cast are all great, and the script is full of lots of technical dialogue I honestly don't understand, I certainly don't understand all the components that lead to the 2008 financial crisis, but this is a good story, making the characters humanised, and it feels claustrophobic, all in all it is a worthwhile drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Good!

Milad Nazari Shame films such as this doesn't score big box office figures. I have read the reviews of a few who state the film is boring because the script is too intelligent. to those I say the film is based on the financial crash. It shows how a risk analyst figured out how high leverage had exposed the company to greater risk. We can see what happens when the first companies had figured their risk. The aggressive trading is insightful as it shows the amount of money they are willing to loose on every trade due to high risk. So the film will of course require some general sense of economics and finance. Again its a shame it didn't gather higher box office.

banzanbon The story, whatever it was, is NOT told. It's a bunch of innuendo, fakery and pseudo-plot that is far from explicable and comprehensible. It's an exercise in pretentiousness. It take FOR--EVER to get this plot off the ground. Though there are some exceedingly impressive actors in this film, it's completely devoid of an actual storyline...it's nothing more than some Wall Street company about to lose its shirt......and then who knows what. I kept waiting for something more detailed and meaningful to happen and for there to be some form of narrative...but it really TRULY goes nowhere. It's filled with tons of silly little anecdotes that each actor tells and none of it adds up to much...but the same old boring didactic garbage of POSSIBLY how horrible capitalism is. Do not waste your time. It's not worth it....unless you want to see good actors acting...sort of.

Will Elliott I have now seen this film twice. Both times have left me marvelling at the direction, acting and at the story itself. J.C. Chandor's first film is exceptional. the all too real events he has depicted are shown The very tense scenes showcase this young directors abilities. To create an atmosphere from speech alone is quite an achievement. The lack of music for said scenes brings you right into the film. Jeremy Irons great line "So that we may survive" makes you feel as if you are in that crisis meetingThe actors are fantastic and tie in this film that gives us a glimpse into the financial crisis that went on around us. After watching this for the second time it seems as though everything hangs on such delicate theories and formulas. Personally it reminds me about how little I know about the world. I felt very small watching this film, it certainly gives us some perspective! A simple setting, clever direction and a brilliant cast make this one of the best suspense thrillers I have ever seen. In fact I've not seen a film like it. Quite simply 10/10