"Margin call" (2011)

Since I am known never to willingly switch on TV except when it comes to follow some documentary, it came as a nice surprise to accidentally see something really interesting - the reason why I even bothered with TV was third episode of documentary about Croatian rock "Naši dani – priče o hrvatskom rocku" that was truly enjoyable. Right afterwards on program was this US movie with excellent cast so I stayed tuned.

"Margin Call" deals with big, multi-million firm and countless anonymous little fishes who are satisfied with their jobs until disaster strikes. In space of 36 hours the whole empire collapses and we follow what happens to individuals involved in all this - what is the most interesting is how firmly movie keeps our attention although there is nothing in sense of "action" (no explosions, overturned cars, bullets or computer animation), we are glued to the screen by sheer power of story and presence of strong acting. From a recently fired Stanley Tucci who stumbled upon discovery that would alarm his young colleague (Zachary Quinto), to cold blooded executive Simon Baker and finally the biggest fish Jeremy Irons (who arrives in the middle of the night by helicopter and orders immediate meeting) acting is superb and there is hardly a wrong step in a movie - these people are not sentimental when it comes about outside world and what will happen to others, they are concerned about their own wealth and how will all of this affect them. There is a excellent scene where Baker and Demi Moore bicker in the elevator completely ignoring cleaning lady who is in the middle - for them she is invisible, she is perfect example of outside world they don't care about and I doubt they would even notice if she dropped dead there and than. Not so sure about Moore and why exactly she was needed for this movie except for her name power but Jeremy Irons brings everything on completely different level because his presence is so hypnotizing and yes scary, that he completely overshadows everybody else around - we sense this is important man who is completely above other mortals and even when everybody else is scared to death because of collapse of financial empire, Irons stands unconcerned because his own wealth is such that he can just shrug it off as something natural and cyclical. Jeremy Irons is God.