The Hummingbird Project (2018)

A pair of high-frequency traders go up against their old boss in an effort to make millions in a fiber-optic cable deal.

Director:

Kim Nguyen

Writer:

Kim Nguyen

Stars:

Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgård, Salma Hayek

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Vincent Zaleski
Alexander Skarsgård	...	Anton Zaleski
Salma Hayek	...	Eva Torres
Michael Mando	...	Mark Vega
Johan Heldenbergh	...	Amish Elder
Ayisha Issa	...	Ophelia Troller
Mark Slacke	...	Tasso Casilieris
Sarah Goldberg	...	Mascha
Frank Schorpion	...	Bryan Taylor
Kwasi Songui	...	Ray Engineer
Conrad Pla	...	Agent Santana
Julian Bailey	...	Elliot
Jessica Greco	...	Dr. Bloom
Robert Reynolds	...	Gas Station Owner
Wyatt Bowen	...	Hotel Clerk

Storyline

In this modern epic, Kim Nguyen exposes the ruthless edge of our increasingly digital world. Cousins from New York, Vincent (Eisenberg) and Anton (Skarsgård) are players in the high-stakes game of High Frequency Trading, where winning is measured in milliseconds. Their dream? To build a fiber-optic cable straight between Kansas and New Jersey, making them millions. But nothing is straightforward for this flawed pair. Anton is the brains, Vincent is the hustler, and together they push each other and everyone around them to breaking point on their quixotic adventure. Constantly breathing down their necks is their old boss Eva Torres (Hayek) a powerful, intoxicating and manipulative trader who will stop at nothing to come between them and beat them at their own game. No matter what the cost, Vincent and Anton are determined to cut through America, only to find redemption at the end of their line, not through money, but through family and reconnecting to the land.

---

Plot Keywords:

trader | financial market | odyssey | game | trading | 

---

Taglines:

Everything Is On The Line.

---

Genres:

Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language throughout

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

Belgium Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 2019 (Canada)

Also Known As:

The Hummingbird Project

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,202, 17 March 2019, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$370,949, 21 April 2019

Company Credits

Production Co:

Item 7, Belga Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Dolby 5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jesse Eisenberg memorized the entire script before recording started. This was confirmed by him and the director at the Toronto International Film Festival. The director also confirmed that the story was fictional but that it reflect advances in trading technology.

---

Quotes

Vincent Zaleski: [quoting his father's words] Whatever you do, always make sure you own your freedom.

User Reviews

Underwhelming writing didn't make up for the great performances

Writer/director Kim Nguyen did a better job directing, than the choppy writing/screenplay. Great story concept, but the films 111 mins, slow pacing and dragged out scenes, felt like almost 3 hours, and made for somewhat of a boring story that didn't hold much of my attention. The acting was great, especially from Skarsgård and Eisenberg. I am a fan of Hayek, but this character wasn't for her. Nevertheless, the underwhelming writing didn't make up for the great performances. It's a generous 7/10 from me