Risk/Reward

Professional young women struggling to find a satisfying "work/life ratio" are the target audience for this straightforward documentary from filmmakers Elizabeth Holder and Xan Parker, which was co-produced by the Oh! (Oxygen) TV network. Risk/Reward follows four young and successful women in the world of finance: a research analyst, a currency trader, a New York Stock Exchange floor broker, and a rookie investment banker who is on the verge of her first big career advancement. The film's title captures the theme: these women are both highly skilled and well-paid, but it's made painfully clear that their success entails certain sacrifices. Two of the women have essentially switched traditional gender roles with their husbands, who are Mr. Moms at home while their wives juggle the demands of high-powered jobs. Another is happily involved in a same-sex relationship, decides to start a family, and voluntarily ends her Wall Street career. And while the young investment banker is still single, it's difficult for her to make pivotal career decisions in a high-stakes arena that's so brutally demanding on one's personal life. The filmmakers try to incorporate the events of 9/11 into the stories being told, but it's mostly a distraction (as is the failure to identify prominent Wall Street reporter Maria Bartiromo when she appears onscreen). Although somewhat scattershot and surprisingly flat at times, Risk/Reward will be appreciated by women dealing with the challenge of trying to balance work, life, and motherhood. Recommended, overall. Aud: C, P. (J. Shannon)