Review of Arbitrage (2012) by Frank C — 04 Jul 2014

I don't know what Richard Gere does in the years he takes off between starring roles in feature films, but I wish he'd do it less. From Pretty Woman to Primal Fear (from what I've gathered) and now to Arbitrage, he is still one of few actors who can carry the weight of an entire film on his shoulders.

Now, that's not to take anything away from the film's supporting cast. Brit Marling and Tim Roth in particular stand out, showing some starpower can be found in a limited-release feature. I was also happy to see familiar faces from House of Cards - Reg E. Cathey and Larry Pine.

As for the story itself, I was glad to see a film related to Wall Street that 1) didn't pummel you with technical details; and 2) closely explored the people behind the shady dealmaking. While more drama than thriller, I still enjoyed the pace of the film, especially as Robert's personal life proceeds in parallel to his business. Towards the end, though, I felt that there could have been further exploration of the familial consequences of Robert's actions, as well as Jimmy's future. All in all a very good movie and a splendid debut by the director Jarecki.