Featured Audience Ratings

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"You want "too big to fail" here it is! You got a better idea -the suggestion box is wide open!"</i> Chronicles the financial meltdown of 2008 and centers on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"You want "too big to fail" here it is! You got a better idea -the suggestion box is wide open!"</i> Chronicles the financial meltdown of 2008 and centers on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> "Too Big to Fail" addresses the subject of modern-day mega corporations whose failure, however deserving, might be of such catastrophic dimensions that it must be avoided, if at all possible, whatever the cost. The subject matter, the US financial crisis of 2008, is profound and enormous, in terms of its shock at the time and continuing consequences, to trivialize. The main characters - William Hurt, Paul Giamatti, for instance - become aware of the distinct possibility of spiraling into a 21st century version of The Great Depression. We are awestruck by such a possibility. The plot forces at work are both economic and political, both having profound influences. Politics? As usual, it is the Art of the Possible. Economics? A very difficult-to-comprehend arena, neither art nor science. The story leads us, step by step, as numerous characters play their role on this stage. The message: How could they have been so stupid? The filmmakers have hit the nail on the head.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Too Big to Fail is HBO's effort to dramatize the financial meltdown of 2008. It features an amazing cast, including James Woods, William Hurt, and Ed Asner. All bring a lot of presence to their scenes, even when the script doesn't fully let them shine. We get a lot of… More
  Too Big to Fail is HBO's effort to dramatize the financial meltdown of 2008. It features an amazing cast, including James Woods, William Hurt, and Ed Asner. All bring a lot of presence to their scenes, even when the script doesn't fully let them shine. We get a lot of moments of tension and good dialogue exchanges, but we also get awkward moments that feel grossly manufactured so as to deliver exposition. In that sense, it's far from Margin Call, a film that brilliantly conveyed tension and steaks with similar themes. At the same time, it's not boring, executed with enough polish to keep it consistently engaging. The politics of the film and the editorializing are rather bland, however, with a far too forgiving portrayal of Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke, when the true origins of the crisis and ongoing turmoil are far more sinister and planned than what the film showed. But HBO was trying to keep it mainstream, so judged on that standard, it was successful, though not "accurate" in the truest sense of the word. 3.5/5 Stars Note: An excellent breakdown of the crisis can be found in the award-winning documentary, Inside Job.

• Mohet N

  
  If someone wants to take a shortcut instead of reading the whole book, then this movie is a must watch.