Film Review on "Film the Inside Job"

Film Review 5 pages (2170 words) Sources: 5

[EXCERPT] . . . .

the 2010 documentary film Inside Job directed by Charles Ferguson and narrated by American actor Matt Damon was considered one of the most interesting and appreciated documentaries of the year and was awarded the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2011. It is "an angry, well-argued documentary about how the American financial industry set out deliberately to defraud the ordinary American investor" (Ebert). Thus, it depicts the events that led to the financial crisis of 2008-9 with deep focus on the role of the Wall Street financial magnates whowere representative for the investment banks and rating agencies. The film also points out and develops in a very effective manner the relation these influential people are assumed to have had with the representatives from the America government. The film was received with very positive reviews when released and was firstly screened at the 2010 Film Festival in Cannes.

It seems that the documentary used all the means necessary to convince that the 2008-9 crisis was not something that simply happened, but rather that it was a financial machinery that got out of control. The film was especially impressive because, if true, the actions depicted by the script and put together by the director reveal a rather grim reality of the American society and of the future of the American social model. More precisely, at one point during the film, an empty, completely desolating, large industrial hall was presented which suggested the immense number of unemployment that had reached new heights at the time. The director tried to create a contrasting effect between the image of the ones that suffered the consequences of financial crisis and the ones that, although responsible, failed to be held accountable and even more, were shown having fun and enjoying themselves in different parts of the world. This juxtaposition between the two instances was a very important "argument" the director used to state his point, that the financial crisis was in fact "an inside job" and the ones guilty for this are not being punished yet the results of the crisis are affecting millions of hard working Americans.

In terms of the content however, the approach of the film is somewhat typical for an American film in which conspiracy theories are present everywhere. For instance the explained connections between representatives of the political scene, even the reference to two previous American presidents, and the interest groups on Wall Street may appear to have been taken out from a traditional Hollywood film script.

One can almost characterize this motion picture as a Wall Street horror movie. Even with the fact that it provide sensational information, the film is actually very effective in putting across the message Ferguson was interested in. The fact that it employs a dramatic attitude while doing so only makes the case even more serious. What is horrifying about this film is that it is virtually the materialization of the nightmare of the majority of persons living in the contemporary society. The fact that the theories it presents are constantly backed up by solid evidence further contributes to emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

The fact that the film provides a Hollywoodian version of the 2008 economic crisis is likely to influence many viewers to feel that it is less 'real' and that it fails to directly address issues regarding the crisis. While typical conspiracy theory films attempt to constantly keep viewers alert by bombarding them with information meant to trigger intense feelings, Inside Job employs a slower pace and does not hesitate to introduce elements of humor at times.

It is perfectly natural for a significant even such as the 2008 economic crisis to generate conspiracy theories. With the masses being hungry for conspiracy theories whenever it is difficult for them to gain a complex understanding of an event, a film involving the conspiracy behind the crisis would certainly be successful (Donovan 4). It is very likely that this was one of Ferguson's primary intentions with the film. Conspiracy theorists practically want to see the bigger picture in order to understand why some things happened. Inside Job goes at addressing this issue and does so perfectly, almost to the point where it is difficult to understand whether the information it provides is truthful or fictional. The fact that the film provides accurate data to support all of the claims it puts across succeeds in providing viewers with the opportunity to understand that in spite of the dramatic nature of the movie, it is nonetheless meant to focus on a very disturbing topic.

The film tends to provide divisive information at times, taking into account that it associates topics that have little to do with one-another. The way that it brings together the political scene in the U.S. And the collapse of the investment banking system is confusing. The fact that the claims it makes are not mere insinuations is however essential in highlighting the seriousness of the situation and the fact that the motion picture is dedicated to provide viewers with a complex portrayal of the 2008 economic crisis and of the events that led to it.

Conspiracy theories have always been intriguing and there have been a lot of stories with regard to the recent economic crisis and to the reasons why it happened. However, it would be wrong to say that Inside Job does nothing more than to discuss conspiracy theories. This film goes further than conventional films relating to the topic and actually provides solid evidence showing how a number of influential players managed to avoid being negatively affected by the condition in spite of the fact that they were among the persons responsible for triggering it in the first place. This is actually one of the reasons why it is so horrifying -- it provides evidence concerning how the masses are simple tools in the hands of powerful persons who are probable to experience very little problems as the whole worlds suffers.

Inside Job enabled the masses to understand that they are exposed and that bodies they consider to be working with them actually express little to no interest with regard to their well-being. Previous to the depression, most people are likely to have thought "that neither the big NYC banks nor the Wall Street firms that created these derivates saw the dangers of the Financial Crisis that ensued." (Krager 362) the film uses more than two years of research with the purpose of highlighting all of the flaws of the financial system. Important financial institutions were well-acquainted with the risks they were taking, but were reluctant to employ a more vigilant attitude because they knew that they would be supported if they blew up.

The documentary was effective in reaching its target and was able to send the message across. The relationship between politics and finances has always been controversial, given that it generated numerous discussions throughout time and that numerous scholars have gotten actively engaged in denouncing the negative effects it could have on the social order. The Watergate scandal is a good example of a case involving politics being corrupted as a result of its connection with finances. The fact that it has been completely proven in front of the public opinion amplifies the gravity of the issue. Even with this, there have been other cases, such as for instance the one presented in Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11.

While the 9/11 events have probably generated the most numerous discussions ever to have emerged as a result of a conspiracy theory episode, Moore's film goes further at addressing the issue. The motion picture is certainly not as explanatory as Inside Job, but this does not mean that it is less convincing and that it does not present solid data to verify some ideas. Similar to how some individuals did not fall as a result of the 2008 economic crisis, a series of people benefited as a result of the Iraq war. Ferguson and Moore basically had the same intention when directing their films: they wanted the whole world to realize that some problems are much more complex than they seem and that it is essential for them to try and see the bigger picture whenever they feel suspicious with regard to a topic.

All such attempts at unveiling conspiracies appeal to the public because they try to offer a story that can be fully documented and most objectively presented. In the case of Inside Job, the subject was of high interest at the time of its release and the information used for its creation was, unlike other documentary films, from officials who then needed to confirm or infirm information that addressed them directly. From this point-of-view, the approach presented by the film was one that may reveal, if not all, at least part of the truth behind the instrumentation of the pre-crisis period, its development, and outcome (Hill, 2010).

At the same time though, the documentary made appeals to the rational, ethical, and emotional side of the… READ MORE

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