Be first. Be smarter. Or cheat.|Feb. 11, 2011|United States|107 Min.|R
Genre: Drama;Thriller
Description: In 2008, an investment bank begins a massive layoff, including Eric Dale, the head of risk management. As Dale leaves, he hands a flash drive to Peter Sullivan, an associate, urging him to be cautious. Sullivan stays late to complete Dale’s model, uncovering critical flaws in the firm’s risk assessment. He realizes that the company’s over-leveraged position in mortgage-backed securities could lead to bankruptcy if their value drops significantly.
Sullivan alerts his colleague Seth Bregman and Will Emerson, the head of credit trading, who then informs Sam Rogers, their supervisor. Unable to reach Dale, Sullivan and Bregman set out to find him, while Rogers and Emerson escalate the issue to senior management.
A meeting among executives, including division head Jared Cohen, chief risk officer Sarah Robertson, and CEO John Tuld, confirms Sullivan’s findings. Tuld pushes for an immediate sale of the toxic assets to avert bankruptcy, despite Rogers’ concerns about reputational damage and market instability. Tuld prioritizes the firm’s survival over potential fallout.
Cast director: J.C. Chandor
Cast actor: Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Ashley Williams, Demi Moore, Penn Badgley, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Stanley Tucci
Original name: Margin Call