Narrated by Matt Damon, filmmaker Charles Ferguson's Oscar-nominated Inside Job takes a penetrating look at 2008's global financial crisis, beginning in Iceland—a once-prosperous country that tried American-style banking and paid the price. The documentary also travels to England, France, Singapore, and China, in addition to the U.S., where reckless deregulation laid the foundation for the fall. The film features interviews with dozens of individuals: authors, bank managers, government ministers, and even a psychotherapist, who talks about a Gordon Gekko culture. But many key figures, including Alan Greenspan, declined to comment. Although not as combative as Michael Moore, Ferguson asks tough questions and elicits squirms from several participants, notably former Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs David McCormick and Columbia business school dean R. Glenn Hubbard, an economic advisor to George W. Bush (any borders between Wall Street, Washington, and the Ivy League dissolved many years ago). While taking Presidents Bush and Reagan to task for tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, Ferguson also criticizes Clinton for encouraging derivatives and Obama for lagging on reform. And in the category of unlikely heroes, Eliot Spitzer emerges as the man who fought against financial fraud as New York's attorney general. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Charles Ferguson and producer Audrey Marrs, deleted scenes (45 min.), a “making-of” featurette (13 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are additional deleted scenes and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a fine extras package for one of 2010's best documentaries.] (K. Fennessy)
Inside Job
Sony, 108 min., PG-13, DVD: $28.95, Blu-ray: $34.95, Mar. 8 Volume 26, Issue 2
Inside Job
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