Inside Job (2010)

Takes a closer look at what brought about the financial meltdown.

Director:

Charles Ferguson

Writers:

Charles Ferguson, Chad Beck,

Stars:

Matt Damon, William Ackman, Daniel Alpert

Won 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Matt Damon	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Ackman	...	Himself
Daniel Alpert	...	Himself
Jonathan Alpert	...	Himself
Sigridur Benediktsdottir	...	Herself
Ben Bernanke	...	Himself (archive footage)
Willem Buiter	...	Himself
George W. Bush	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Campbell	...	Himself
Patrick Daniel	...	Himself
Satyajit Das	...	Himself
Kristin Davis	...	Herself
Martin Feldstein	...	Himself
Jerome Fons	...	Himself
Barney Frank	...	Himself

Storyline

'Inside Job' provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008, which at a cost over $20 trillion, caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse. Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.

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Plot Keywords:

iceland | recession | interview | reagan era | morgan stanley | 

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Taglines:

The global economic crisis of 2008 cost tens of millions of people their savings, their jobs, and their homes. This is how it happened.

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Genres:

Documentary | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some drug and sex-related material

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 February 2010 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Bennfentesek

Filming Locations:

China

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£70,375 (UK) (18 February 2011)

Gross:

$4,311,834 (USA) (29 April 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Representational Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an unusual pairing of supporter and subject matter, Jeffrey Lurie - owner of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles franchise - was one of this Oscar-winning documentary's executive producers.

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Goofs

The first time Paul Volcker's last name is shown it is written "Vocker".

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Quotes

Narrator: For the first time in history, average Americans have less education and are less prosperous than their parents.

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Connections

Referenced in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.8 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Congratulations"
Written by Ben Goldwasser & Andrew VanWyngarden
Performed by MGMT
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

A wake-up call of macroeconomic proportions

Inside Job belongs to a genre of new documentaries, like The Cove, Dear Zachary and Bowling For Columbine, that are not only made to document the background of a phenomenon but also to encourage people to do something about it. Dividing itself into five sections of a 'report', the film looks at the background and effect of the recession and its effect on politics, the world, society, the economy, public welfare, education, the present and the near and distant future.

Inside Job is undeniably motivational and does well to extract the hypocrisies and selfishness of the main perpetrators and other persons linked with the crisis. Indside Job depicts the global financial from only one perspective and does not give due weighting to the alternate point of view. Of course, it does not help that the main protagonists involved in the entire affair are obviously missing from this documentary, a fact that is rubbed on to the audience time and again.

On the flip side, economics, being a head scratcher for several budding commerce students by nature, the spoken narrative of figures and key personnel could perhaps have been better explained with a clearer use of graphics. However since the film makers are not lecturers it would be too much to expect them to be aware of the concepts of pedagogy.

Well crafted and edited, Inside Job is a good introduction to the cause and effect of the financial crisis, it falls just short of being the definitive version. It is a good watch nevertheless and provides sufficient food for thought and plenty of opportunity for future cocktail party discussion.