Margin Call(2011)- User Reviews

Margin Call is GARBAGE
By Normal Person on Fri, Feb 10, 2012 12:00 PM EST

star11

Review from a techinical financial and screen writer:

1) Margin Call isn't even the correct term for this movie. There is never a margin call in the film.

2) I paused the movie and asked my friends, "Do you understand any of these terms and acronyms" - key scene: trouble with MBS is the problem.... endless chart forecasts. No one knew (I bet these actors didn't) what a MBS was (Mortgage Backed Security).

3) Poor writing pace. Thriller? More like... "I'm just curious where this is going... it must pick up soon... then credits role"

4) People saying that they understood this film is another reason this country is in trouble. Lack of confidence and accountibility to say, "I don't understand any of these terms" There needs to be a character where the Joe Blow public actually "learns" what's going on so that it feels like a thriller.

5) 80% will leave this movie wondering - how did this new writer EVER get all these top stars to appear in this movie at a low wage? If he was able to make this movie (he made no money btw) - he should be pitching hedgefunds instead!
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2 comments

  • hh
    hh  •  2 months ago
    "its a shame these guys got away with what they did." what guys? Bill Clinton and his housing secretary who in 1999 created sub-prime 100% financed home loans for those with poor credit histories? Bill Clinton and Al Gore who pushed for an got NAFTA passed and signed so the people's jobs went to other countries while they couldn't get out of their mortgages? Barney Frank and others who forced banks to make these sub-prime loans. The guys in congress (lead by Frank) who wanted no oversite of Fannie and Freddie? The guys who took these loans for houses they couldn't afford even with a job?
  • Normal Person
    Normal Person  •  Irvine, California  •  3 months ago
    I completely agree. Within 10 minutes of the film, when all those characters said **** me - I said to my friends watching with me, this is Screenwriter Bad Writing 101. How did some crap like this get the greenlight? How did this guy get all these stars in it? It's up for an Oscar for best original screenplay? That's it. I will never write again. How did the reader ever read through 5 pages without noticing all the jargon. This was a second draft at most. I think everyone participated because they were too afraid to say they didn't understand the sub-prime meltdown. Margin Call isn't even the correct term. I've been a Financial Advisor for 10 years. I knew what they meant... but I could never see the public understanding all that jargon. Plus, they were completely exaggerating the terms... phew!
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