Inside Job

BBBBB

(out of 5)

The economic crash of 2008 was attributed to the housing bubble bursting in America, but this film wants to probe deeper into the situation and find out more about responsibility in the matter and the culture that created the groundwork for it. Despite what a big job this would be, Charles Ferguson’s magnificently entertaining documentary manages to feel like it covers all bases within a reasonable feature-length time, giving us an insider’s view of the real estate market and the financial culture on Wall Street from all possible angles. We get charts on business practices and the greed and profit structure that led to the toppling of the system, but there’s also interviews with brothel madams who tell us all about the habits of the men who were entrusted with running the economy. Ferguson’s interview segments, some of which have subjects who get hot under the collar when interrogated as to their own personal responsibility on the subject, somehow manage to come off as explosively revealing but not judgmental; the film has a critical tone but not a negative or preachy one (such as the more hectoring Chasing Madoff, made the same year). It’s about as satisfying as any good drama you’ll ever see, with far more terror than any thriller can provide.

Sony Pictures Classics, Representational Pictures, Screen Pass Pictures

USA, 2010

Directed by Charles Ferguson