The Laundromat (2019)

In this The Big Short (2015)-esque dramedy based on the Mossack Fonseca scandal, a cast of characters investigate an insurance fraud, chasing leads to a pair of a flamboyant Panama City law partners exploiting the world's financial system.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers:

Jake Bernstein (book), Scott Z. Burns (screenplay)

Stars:

Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, AJ Meijer

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Oldman	...	Jürgen Mossack
Antonio Banderas	...	Ramón Fonseca
AJ Meijer	...	Hominid #1
Arsenio Castellanos	...	Hominid #2
Lucy Morningstar	...	Hominid #3
Meryl Streep	...	Ellen Martin / Elena
James Cromwell	...	Joseph David Martin
Jeff Michalski	...	Norm Sidley
Jane Morris	...	Barb Sidley
Robert Patrick	...	Captain Perry
Chris McLaughlin	...	First Mate
Jay Paulson	...	Pastor Conners
Melissa Rauch	...	Melanie
Juliet Donenfeld	...	Thalia
Brock Brenner	...	Kaylen

Storyline

When her idyllic vacation takes an unthinkable turn, Ellen Martin (Meryl Streep) begins investigating a fake insurance policy, only to find herself down a rabbit hole of questionable dealings that can be linked to a Panama City law firm and its vested interest in helping the world's wealthiest citizens amass larger fortunes. Founding partners Jürgen Mossack (Gary Oldman) and Ramón Fonseca (Antonio Banderas) are experts in the seductive ways shell companies and offshore accounts help the rich and powerful prosper. They are about to show us that Ellen's predicament only hints at the tax evasion, bribery and other illicit absurdities that the super wealthy indulge in to support the world's corrupt financial system. Zipping through a kaleidoscope of detours in China, Mexico, Africa (via Los Angeles) and the Caribbean en route to 2016's Panama Papers publication - where journalists leaked the secret, encrypted documents of Mossack Fonseca's high-profile patrons - THE LAUNDROMAT's ensemble ...

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Plot Keywords:

netflix | mossack fonseca scandal | panama papers scandal | flamboyant villain | evil banker | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and disturbing images

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

Russian English Mandarin Spanish

Release Date:

27 September 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Laundromat

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anonymous Content, Grey Matter Productions, Netflix

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78:1/2.35:1 (China segment)

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is James Cromwell and Jeffrey Wright's first collaboration since W. (2008).

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Connections

Featured in CTV News at Six Toronto: Episode dated 9 September 2019 (2019)

User Reviews

Good intentions but all over the place

Yes, the message comes across loud and clear about the dilemma of fraudulent insurance scams, tax evasions and shell companies, but the storytelling is haphazard, disjointed and feeble at best. The stellar cast cannot save what the writing is messing up, this is a missed opportunity of telling (what could have been) a much better story about a dark element of today American corporate life (which Mr. Trump clearly play a role in as well...).