Kevin Spacey – The London Lark

Margin Call (dir. J.C. Chandler) 2011

margin_call_comp

Margin Call was filmed in 2010 and released at the Sundance film festival early 2011. It is very well made, has a great script and the cast is packed with famous actors, all of whom do a good job. Paul Bettany’s and Jeremy Irons’ performances, in particular, are excellent. Kevin Spacey is always good.

The farther away we get from its release date, the less impact this film has. It is a film about a very specific incident; the financial crisis of 2008/9 and the part that sub-prime mortgages had in this. This film sets out to be an insight into the companies involved and into the people running and working in those companies.

It feels like an independent festival movie because its prime motivation is to inform rather than entertain. It achieves this well, and it suited the market when it was released, shortly after the crash.

Now though, most people who would choose to watch this, already have the information that it imparts, and the story itself is good but not brilliant.

The Negotiator (dir. F. Gary Gray) 1998

MCDNEGO EC004

This is a taut thriller. It stars Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. It didn’t do well at the box office when it was released, but it has some good visual set pieces and it has excellent performances from both lead actors, who were at the peak of their powers at that time. It has a fine cast and it is a great movie for spotting actors who went on to do other things in TV and film.

It feels dated because, although it was made in 1998, less than 20 years ago, almost the only women in the film are Jackson’s wife and J. T.Holmes’ secretary (deftly played by Siobhan Fallon Hogan). I guess, at least it shows how we have moved on in that time.

Having said that, it does what you want a thriller to do and I was involved right to the end. If you want an easy, entertaining evening in front of the TV, this will do nicely.