Mom's Minute

 

Introduction to Margin Call Netflix Movie Review

 

When Margin Call appeared on my recommended movies to watch on Netflix, I initially thought it was a recent film  that had just been released. However, upon further inspection, I found out that Margin Call is actually a 2011 movie. Even though Margin Call Netflix movie is over 11 years old, once I started watching it, I got involved in the plot and what was going on just as if I was watching a film that had just been released.

 

WIll you have a similar opinion as mine if you choose to watch the Margin Call Netflix movie?

 

My movie review of Margin Call Netflix film may help you find out.

 

 

Synopsis of Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

The plot of Margin Call Netflix movie involves managers at a once prosperous stock trading company finding out abruptly that the company and its stock are worth close to nothing due to the market downturn. The company had already fired lots of people, including those who had been with the firm for many years. Right away you may have an inkling that something is terribly wrong with the company financially.  

 

One of the people who was fired was a manager, Eric Bale played by Stanley Tucci who discovered the company was in financial trouble.

 

The problem was Eric Bale's character was being fired from his job right on the spot and no one seemed to want to listen to him. However, while in the elevator, before he left the building, Eric Bale's character was able to slip a thumb drive with data about the company to one of his previous employees – Peter Sullivan played by Zachary Quinto.  

 

That same evening that Eric Bale's character was firied, Zachary Quinto’s character checked the data on the drive. He performed some calculations and was surprised to find out the dire results that surfaced about the company's finances. 

 

In a nutshell, the company was indeed in deep trouble financially, with its total losses projected to far outpace its earnings by a large percentage. Even more disturbing, the losses were already occurring on a regular basis, unbeknownst to top management. It goes without saying that something had to be done right away to try to save the company, if this was at all possible.

 

 

Action Scenes in Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

Margin Call Netflix movie is not an action movie with chases, bombs, explosions, etc. by any stretch of the imagination. I describe Margin Call Netflix film as a large corporate business movie, where the viewing audience become privy to how some powers that be may choose to try to to save the company, even if doing so would ruin the company’s reputation.

 

Towards that end, one of the managers, Kevin Spacey as Sam Rogers had to make a decision if he would outright let his employees know what was going on with the failing company or if he would give them a pep talk, tell a bunch of untruths and make promises to his staff that he could not possibly keep.

 

A-List Actors in the Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

Since Margin Call Netflix film is a 2011 movie, you may notice at least one actor who became well known later as Dr. Spock in the Star Trek Movie franchise. That actor is Zachary Quinto as Peter Sullivan who first broke the news about the company’s bleak future to his co-worker, and later to others.

 

Margin Call Netflix movie was loaded with other A-List actors such as Demi Moore as Sarah Robertson, Jeremy Irons as John Tuld, and Simon Baker as Jared Cohen. I think the cast of high talented actors is one of the reasons Margin Call Netflix movie kept my attention, in addition to all the drama that was happening in the film.

 

Escalation of Events in Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

It was interesting to me how quickly news of the company’s poor outlook spread once it was revealed by Zahary Quinto’s character. Mind you, his character discovered the unfortunate computer projections at about 11:00 p.m. at night, informed his co-worker a few minutes later, who in turn relayed the information to their new boss after hours when they were away from the office at a club.

 

A special executive meeting was called that same night, when by this time it was in the wee morning hours of the morning to discuss the company’s future and what actions were to be taken.

 

Of note to me was a line that was said by Simon Baker as Jared Cohen's character to his group before they entered this high-level meeting. His words were and I paraphrase here: “ I do not want  anyone to say anything once we get into this meeting. None of you are smart enough. Not even you – “Rocket Scientist.”  When he said Rocket Scientist he was looking at the person who initially interpreted the information on the drive and alerted his co-worker of the bad news -- Zachary Quinto's character.

 

 

Assessment of Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

Sometimes screenwriters have a problem picking the right time or moment to end a movie. For instance, at the end of Margin Call Netflix movie, you may wonder what happened next with the company or even some of its employees. 

 

Without spoiling the movie, I will say that I was disappointed in the ending, mainly because the writer seemed to leave it up to the audience to determine what happened to the company et. al after all the false trading and just overall unethical behavior of the managers, and the overall failure of the company.

 

Other than the ending, I found the movie to be interesting and the events in the film kept my attention. The actors were adequate in their roles and I think they all did a good job to make it seem as if the company was facing a huge crisis -- which it was.

 

Additionally, as I alluded to previously, the A-List actors added to the realism of what was going on in the Margin Call Netflix movie.

 

If you want to learn more about how some huge companies may operate in times of impending crisis or failure and what they do to cope or to try to keep the company afloat -- you may want to check out the Netflix movie, Margin Call.

 

You may also agree with me that the Netflix movie, Margin Call did not look dated, but could very well have been a recent film instead of one that was released back in 2011.

 

  

Rating of Margin Call Netflix Movie

 

Based on a rating of 1 star to 5 stars with 5 stars being the highest, I rate Margin Call Netflix movie 4 stars.