Enraging, frightening and utterly unbelievable – “Inside Job” is all these things, but most importantly, the events in this film are also true and actually happened. This documentary chronicles the events leading up to the financial meltdown of 2008 and explores their consequences.
In the film’s beginning, viewers are introduced to Iceland, whose economy was seen as highly stable only 10 years ago. Then, legislators privatized Iceland’s banks, eliminated restrictions for the financial services industry and within less than a decade, Iceland’s economy collapsed and the country went bankrupt. Using this extreme example, the film takes us to America and uncovers the foundation of the global economic crisis.
Filmmaker Charles Ferguson interviewed politicians, economists, bankers, journalists, even a high-end prostitute, to expose the cause of the current recession. Some of the dialogue could not have been scripted better. One example comes from a Senate hearing, during which Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) asks the Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein “What do you think about selling securities that your own people think are crap? Does that bother you?” Blankfein responds by asking “Is this hypothetical?” “No,” says Levin, “this is real.” Seeing such a conversation on screen will make your blood boil in rage, for good reason.
The subject matter of this film might give the impression that it is boring or too complex for the layman to understand. However, the filmmaker manages to break the terms and concepts down and make it all crystal-clear. Despite knowing how the film will end, watching the events unfold is just as thrilling as a great murder-mystery. Well narrated by Matt Damon, “Inside Job” won the 2011 Academy Award for “Best Feature Documentary.”
Unless you are one of the wealthiest one percent of Americans and haven’t been hit by the recession (think unemployment, rising tuition and less financial aid), “Inside Job” is a must-see movie. The power of this documentary lies in the truth, a truth that is almost too outrageous to believe.
“Inside Job” will make you want to either rob a bank in retaliation or demand change from your Senators and Representatives – and that is what the movie strives to accomplish. If no real change happens in Washington and on Wall Street, we are headed straight into the next recession. The only question remaining: how long do we have next recession?
“Inside Job” is currently in theatres and available on DVD and Blu-ray.
