Margin Call

Margin Call

I had avoided this film because I am frankly tired of films and stories dealing with the evil doings of Wall Street. I can presume this story is based on the Lehman Bros. scandal.
A prominent financial company discovers that the numbers are pointing to a financial crisis. The story reports on what the characters do to stave off the crisis.
The film starts with the dismissal of a long time worker. He had done nothing wrong and was dismissed as part of a numbers game. It was sad to see him ushered out of his office with no notice. As he leaves he hands over a computer key to a worker and warns him about the power of the information. The worker then looks at the information and discovers that the financial numbers point to a collapse of the company.
It was very poignant and I saw several different points of view. The tough CEO (played by Jeremy Irons.) was determined to save himself and acted immorally. At one point everything is falling apart within the company. The CEO can be seen in the private dining room looking out on the fine lights of the city. He is dining on steak and drinking wine. He had the power and used it.
Those under him were ordered to sell useless stock in order to recoup some money for the company. The workers are blackmailed and told they will receive a substantial sum of money if they sell the useless stock.
What do you do? If you walk away from the situation you are guaranteed financial disaster and loss of everything. If you sell the useless stocks you are setting up a disaster for your clients?
Some of the young men had to make these difficult choices. I did empathize with the situation. One top manager is played by Kevin Spacey. You see his anguish. He wants to do the morally right thing but is pressured and afraid. He has been with the company for many years and has been a respected by his employees.
The film does get into the head of several of the workers. I was sad for some of the workers who felt pressured to do the wrong thing. I also felt anger that they made the wrong choice and ultimately were going to hurt innocent victims.
The performers were excellent in their roles. It was a good insight into one of the major scandals of Wall Street.
This was a fictionalized story but it portrayed how such events could have occurred. It played like a mystery story because I was never sure how the workers would respond. It made me question what my choices might have been.
The film keeps you in suspense and is well done. I can’t call it entertainment because it is painful but you will be absorbed,