Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2004)

  • 97% of critics liked it
    (117 reviews)

  • 82% of users liked it
    (30,113 ratings)

Alex Gibney, who wrote and produced Eugene Jarecki's The Trials of Henry Kissinger, examines the rise and fall of an infamous corporate juggernaut in Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, which he wrote and directed. The film, based on the book by Fortune Magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter… More

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R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By
Alex Gibney
Written By
Peter Elkind, Alex Gibney, Bethany McLean
Genres
Documentary, Special Interest
In Theaters
Apr 29, 2005 Limited
On DVD
Jan 17, 2006
Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Bill Muller, Arizona Republic

    A meticulously researched and ably handled chronicle of one of the largest corporate scandals in American history.

  • Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

    This thorough and thoroughly depressing account of the biggest corporate bankruptcy in history, and the rip-off that accompanied it, is so infuriating and dispiriting that your blood will boil, if not properly watered down.

  • Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

    It's not an indictment, so much. It's more like a mirror.

  • Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

    Doesn't require an interest in business affairs to be captivating. It unfolds like a Wall St. disaster movie with two eminently hissable villains presiding over the catastrophe.

  • Michael Booth, Denver Post

    Go see it before you buy another stock you don't understand. Go see it before you bank your retirement on the company pension fund. Go see it before you vote in another election.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Jim H


    This documentary spins the tale of the nation's most disastrous failure of accounting standards and corporate greed in recent memory. The narration and visuals uniquely balance a straight presentation of the facts and an indictment of the scandal's main players. We get… More

  • Melvin W


    The Smartest Guys in the Room is a fascinating and well made documentary. It chronicles the rise and fall of Enron and it's corrupt leaders. It balances the serious situation with some humor well, making it an entertaining look at Enrons fall.

  • Daniel P


    One of the better contemporary documentaries I've seen, this film is thorough but accessible, and it's on rock-solid footing, based on the book by journalist Bethany McLean as it is. Even if you're not well-acquainted with the business section of your daily newspaper,… More

  • Jay H


    A fast-paced examination of the fall of Enron, this film is certainly a well-made documentary that took me from having absolutely no knowledge to having a pretty good understanding of the greatest corporate scandal in American history. Highly recommended.

  • Luke B


    This is the story of Enron, a legacy that unraveled so fast, that at the the time, I had no idea what was going on. The film manages to describe, in some detail, all the shady goings on. We are given an in depth look at corruption, greed and absent morals. Money is lost, money is… More

Read all 17 featured audience ratings

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