Writing’s on the Wall (Street)

Written and directed by first-timer JC Chandor, Margin Call is a fictional drama that is loosely based on the downfall of Lehman Brothers and the events that triggered the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008.

Set over a period of 24 hours, an honest, hard-working junior analyst (Quinto) receives confidential information from a recently sacked superior (Tucci) indicating that the company, and indeed the entire national and international economy, are about to go under.

A roller-coaster ride ensues as decisions, both financial and moral, catapult the lives of all involved to the brink of disaster.

Chandor has assembled a terrific cast and the performances are superb across the board, with Bettany and Spacey in particular excelling. However, the show is stolen by Jeremy Irons in his brilliant cameo as the company’s CEO.
Combine this with a tightly-written script and some impressive cinematography and we’re onto a winner.

Margin Call is an engaging and surprisingly gripping drama with great performances from a superb cast, though it’s also ultimately as depressing as the financial crisis itself. A fantastic piece
of entertainment.