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Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley ... see more see more... , Simon Baker , Mary McDonnell , Demi Moore , Stanley Tucci , Aasif Mandvi

Set in the high-stakes world of the financial industry, Margin Call is an entangling thriller involving the key players at an investment firm during one perilous 24-hour period in the early stages of ... read more read more...the 2008 financial crisis. When an entry-level analyst unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm, a roller-coaster ride ensues as decisions both financial and moral catapult the lives of all involved to the brink of disaster. Writer/director J.C. Chandor's enthralling first feature is a stark and bravely authentic portrayal of the financial industry and its denizens as they confront the decisions that shape our global future. -- (C) Roadside Attractions

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74% liked it

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89% liked it

146 critics

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: J.C. Chandor

Release Date: October 21, 2011

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DVD Release Date: December 20, 2011

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Flixster Reviews (1,535)

  • blacksheepboy
    May 15, 2012
    blacksheepboy
    This is a gripping, thought-provoking drama with a very careful pace and an intelligent script sustained on a sharp cast and compelling dialogue. A fascinating story depicting with acute realism the 24 hours prior to the financial crisis of 2008 at an investment firm.
  • TomBowler
    April 15, 2012
    TomBowler
    Incredible cast, amazing script and a poignant story. Full review later.
  • fb1672039553
    April 12, 2012
    fb1672039553
    A solid and very smart drama with honorable intentions of humanizing both the people inhabiting the bank headquarters and the people that they service. This movie is not as accessible as it should have been, especially as our collective memory of the 2008 situation fades away. Th... read moree underlying context of a gas price crisis, high mortgage default rates, and a bursted housing price bubble are not mentioned. All we know is that the "formula" the banks used is wrong. People familiar enough with the crisis know what that formula was, why it was trusted and used, and why it was only widely realized to be wrong at that particular time, but if they don't already know, a viewer is forced to just shrug at the jargon.
  • jjnxn
    April 8, 2012
    jjnxn
    Tightly paced drama of the scheming and inattention that lead to the financial crisis only fails with an less than fulfilling conclusion. Fine acting from the entire cast.
  • fb100001048934982
    February 23, 2012
    fb100001048934982
    'Margin Call' is an engrossing drama that immediately starts off with an enticing premise and swift conflict, but seems to slow to a less interesting pace once the film hits the 45 minute mark. The actors keep the slow pace very much afloat and really make the film a solid watch.... read more Every part of the ensemble cast was great. The script may be emotionless and somber but the dialogue is top notch and seems to deserve its Oscar. 'Margin Call' is not a film for the faint of heart, but those willing to wade through the sobriety may be throughly surprised by the film's entertainment value.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    February 13, 2012
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Be first. Be smarter. Or cheat."

    Follows the key people at an investment bank, over a 24-hour period, during the early stages of the financial crisis.

    REVIEW

    A cast of middling to great actor... read mores all give excellent performances in a movie so terse and devoid of histrionics that it feels almost like a documentary. Taking place over one long dark night of the soul, a group of Wall Street suits, ranging from peons to muckety-mucks, come to the slow realization that their company is about to fold and that the only way to stem the blood flow is to liquidate most of the company's assets, thereby setting off the market crash that they know will bring the global economy down low. The various characters have greater to lesser feelings of guilt about this -- Jeremy Irons and Paul Bettany get a couple of dog-eat-dog speeches, while Kevin Spacey and Zachary Quinto serve as the film's moral conscious -- but really no one person's opinion matters much in the face of a steam engine charging out of control.

    "Margin Call" takes a very resigned tone to the whole episode. It doesn't really ask its audience to leap to their feet in rage at the way the casual actions of a few can so seriously harm the many, but rather to simply accept that the disgustingly rich will always be rich at the sake of those who are not. The consolation is that these disgustingly rich people don't seem especially happy or fulfilled; the strive for material wealth seems to lead nowhere but to a strive for even more material wealth. That that kind of lifestyle leaves people hollowed out is made abundantly clear in the film's final image.
  • c0up
    February 6, 2012
    c0up
    'Margin Call'. A fascinating look inside the world of a large investment firm that completely unravels over the course of a day. Filled with astounding moments, decisions and insights into that evil little thing called money, but sadly, it suffers from uneven pacing.

    Spacey, Jer... read moreemy Irons and Penn Badgely are all superb.
  • lewiskendell
    January 7, 2012
    lewiskendell
    A tumultuous two days at a massive investment firm begins with mass firings and a disquieting discovery and ends with a burgeoning worldwide financial disaster.

    I watched Wall Street for the first time not long ago, and I felt underwhelmed. It just didn't resonate with me. Marg... read morein Call did. It's an intelligent, "financial thriller" that makes a bunch of Wall St. jargon feel relatable and weaves a tight, suspenseful story...despite the fact that we already know how it's going to end.

    Margin Call is a "ripped from the headlines" thriller done right. Sure, the perils of the financial market are a hot button topic these days, but there's a good movie here that has a lot more going for it than just being topical. Great cast, solid script, recommended.
  • allan913
    December 31, 2011
    allan913
    The most explosivey entertaining film of 2011. One of the year`s best pictures. An exhilerating knockout of a film., it has a lasting effect long after its over. An electrifying, honest, and utterly brilliant movie that thrills you with sweep and implication. A taunt, stylish, gr... read moreitty, wildly compelling and truly unforgettable piece of work. A groundbreaking and superbly real movie full of dept and is extreamly story driven with characters who have to make choices whether right or wrong. The best Wall Street movie ever made. A strong and fierce film debut by Director, JC Chandor, who possiably crafts the finest American film of the year. It`s wickedly well-crafted and insanely well-performend by it`s astonishing all-star cast. Kevin Spacey is mesmerizing. Jeremy Irons is brilliant. Paul Bettany is excellent. Zachary Quinto and Penn Badgley are sensational. Simon Baker is terrific. Stanley Tucci is fantastic.
  • fb619846742
    December 25, 2011
    fb619846742
    A riveting, memorable drama concerning a "what if?" scenario of the economic recession of 2008, and the 24-hr period in which a firm tries to prepare for the inevitable collapse. Thanks to a stellar cast across the board, sharp dialogue, and assured, realistic plotting, this movi... read moree remains phenomenal pace-wise and tone-wise throughout. There is an imminent sense of despair, and every character's motives are handled and presented in a realized, capable manner. The message of the movie will stick in your mind for a long time to come. The greedy get more money in the end, but they will meet their day, and for those that get away with it, they will have to battle with the people they screwed over for the rest of their lives. A remarkable picture, and definitely one of the top films of the year, and one that absolutely deserves a view, especially in this sensitive economic time, it connects with its audience exceptionally well.

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Critic Reviews

Laremy Legel
November 29, 2011
Laremy Legel, Film.com

Carefully crafted performances and taut pacing carry the day. Full Review

Stephen Farber
November 11, 2011
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter

Topical drama about the financial crisis lacks the visceral punch to grab an audience. Full Review

Justin Chang
November 11, 2011
Justin Chang, Variety

A methodical, coolly absorbing boardroom thriller. Full Review

Stephen Cole
November 11, 2011
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

Spacey is mesmerizing as Sam, a weary, aging lion losing his appetite for antelope. And Irons plays the villain with magisterial ease. Full Review

Peter Howell
November 11, 2011
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

It's a realistic take on what happens when high-flying money speculators suddenly hit ground. It's also a great calling card for J.C. Chandor, the writer/director making his feature debut. Full Review

Tom Long
October 28, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

That Chandor manages to find the blood in each character is accomplishment enough; that he manages to make his drama both relevant and timeless portends a bright future indeed. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
October 27, 2011
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

A terrific piece of entertainment. Full Review

David Denby
October 24, 2011
David Denby, New Yorker

Margin Call is one of the strongest American films of the year and easily the best Wall Street movie ever made. Full Review

Christopher Orr
October 21, 2011
Christopher Orr, The Atlantic

Chandor's film is not a tale of the plots and counterplots of conniving bankers. It is a disaster movie, in which even the Masters of the Universe are running for their lives. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
October 21, 2011
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Writer-director J.C. Chandor then plunges us into a dark night of quietly nasty reckoning as it becomes clear to the firm's honchos that the calamitous risk assessments one of their own was working on... Full Review

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    • John Tuld: So you think we might have put a few people out of business today. That its all for naught. You've been doing that everyday for almost forty years Sam. And if this is all for naught then so is everything out there. Its just money; its made up. Pieces of paper with pictures on it so we don't have to kill each other just to get something to eat. It's not wrong. And it's certainly no different today than its ever been. 1637, 1797, 1819, 37, 57, 84, 1901, 07, 29, 1937, 1974, 1987-Jesus, didn't that fuck up me up good-92, 97, 2000 and whatever we want to call this. It's all just the same thing over and over; we can't help ourselves. And you and I can't control it, or stop it, or even slow it. Or even ever-so-slightly alter it. We just react. And we make a lot money if we get it right. And we get left by the side of the side of the road if we get it wrong. And there have always been and there always will be the same percentage of winners and losers. Happy foxes and sad sacks. Fat cats and starving dogs in this world. Yeah, there may be more of us today than there's ever been. But the percentages-they stay exactly the same.
    • Will Emerson: [to Seth] If you really want to do this with your life you have to believe that you're necessary, and you are. People want to live like this with their cars and their big fucking houses they can't even pay for - then you're necessary. The only reason people get to continue living like kings is because we've got our fingers on the scales and we're tipping in their favor. I take my hand off, well then the whole world gets really fucking fair really fucking quick and nobody actually wants that. They say they do, but they really don't. They want what we have to give but they also want to play innocent and pretend they have no idea where it actually came from; and that's more hypocrisy than I'm willing to swallow, so fuck 'em.
    • Peter Sullivan: These people have no idea on what's about to happen.
    • John Tuld: There are three ways to make a living in this business. Be first, be smarter, or cheat.
    • Sam Rogers: Your selling something that you know has no value.
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