Arbitrage (2012)
Strong themes and coarse language
| Director: | Nicholas Jarecki |
| Actors: | Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta, Nate Parker, Chris Eigeman, Bruce Altman |
Robert Miller (Richard Gere) is the portrait of success in American business and family life. But behind the gilded walls of his mansion, Miller is in over his head, desperately trying to complete the sale of his trading empire to a major bank before the depths of his fraud are revealed. Struggling to conceal his duplicity from loyal wife Ellen and brilliant daughter and heir-apparent Brooke, Miller's also balancing an affair with French art-dealer Julie Côte. Just as he's about to unload his troubled empire, an unexpected bloody error forces him to juggle family, business, and crime with the aid of Jimmy Grant, a face from Miller's past. One wrong turn ignites the suspicions of NYPD Detective Michael Bryer, who will stop at nothing in his pursuits.
| Status: | HighDemand |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 107mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
Mo money mo problems
by Richard Haridy, 30/01/2013 3:24:00 PM
For some time it has felt like Richard Gere has been working on auto-pilot; not making a huge amount of De Niro-style duds, but never stepping up to the challenging roles we know he can do. It's pleasing to see him hit a sensational stride in Arbitrage, his best performance in well over a decade. Gere plays billionaire Robert Miller, a shifty silver fox who is trying to sell off his giant company before investors discover he has cooked the books. On the side he's balancing family life and an affair with feisty mistress Julie (Laetitia Casta). Things get even more stressful for Miller after he flees a car accident, adding a possible murder charge to his already chaotic world. Debut director Nicholas Jarecki confidently stages this tense scenario with a Hitchcockian flair. As we follow the ...
For some time it has felt like Richard Gere has been working on auto-pilot; not making a huge amount of De Niro-style duds, but never stepping up to the challenging roles we know he can do. It's pleasing to see him hit a sensational stride in Arbitrage, his best performance in well over a decade. Gere plays billionaire Robert Miller, a shifty silver fox who is trying to sell off his giant company before investors discover he has cooked the books. On the side he's balancing family life and an affair with feisty mistress Julie (Laetitia Casta). Things get even more stressful for Miller after he flees a car accident, adding a possible murder charge to his already chaotic world.
Debut director Nicholas Jarecki confidently stages this tense scenario with a Hitchcockian flair. As we follow the increasingly frantic Gere down his nightmarish rabbit hole, the picture takes a satisfyingly cold, amoral stance – less critique and more cynical observation – linking the duplicity of big economics with a deep sense of moral corruption in the individual. Gere's wonderful turn is packed with squirrelly charm and creates an odd sense of sympathy for this essentially unforgivable character. He is irredeemable, but Gere sucks the viewer in, making us all complicit in his futile scheme.
Anchored by strong supporting work from Susan Sarandon as Gere's beleaguered wife (and, to a lesser extent, Brit Marling as his suspicious daughter), Arbitrage has a cold, sexy sheen that works for and against it. As circumstances reach a boiling point in the final act, Jarecki's presentation is a little distant and restrained, never engaging as wholly with the intensity the story seems to demand. Tim Roth's detective character is also constantly jarring, popping in and out of the narrative like the ghost of Columbo, looking like he wandered off the set of a completely different movie.
This is an impressive first film. However, despite a great score by Cliff Martinez, the whole project doesn't reach the heights one feels it could. Arbitrage is still an engagingly superficial thriller that promises great things to come from Jarecki.
3/5
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Member Reviews (15)
15 Member
Reviews
Bavin
says
Richard Gere plays Robert Miller who is a mega-wealthy businessman who thinks he can break the rules whenever he wants. (As an aside, the chandelier in the stairwell of his house is amazing!). One day disaster happens and he desperately tries to cover his tracks so that his money empire doesn't crumble and that he doesn't go to jail. The tension mounts and mounts as the viewer wonders whether money trumps everything else.
Maggie
says
I was really into this movie, was wondering how he was going to get himself out of so much trouble but then all of a sudden it was over .... great movie but disappointing ending.
CC
says
This is the best thing I've seen Richard Gere do. He is perfectly cast, and brings a range of acting talent to his role that I didn't know he had. The storyline is tight and believable, and moves along at a good pace. The tension is almost palpable, as Gere struggles to keep all his balls in the air, and his head above water, despite things apparently careering out of control. Much better than I was expecting.
says
Good movie, worth watching. May not a totally original story line but still very interesting - Tim Roth was his usual self.
says
Nothing new really, it was okay I guess.
Phil
says
The type of movie where Gere would indeed act. Nothing really original in this. Remains quite interesting until the end. Gere was ok but I feel how limited he is as an actor. Laetitia Casta was quite a weak actress.
says
Great movie but very sudden finish.
gerd
says
Lie, cheat, defraud. In most movies you don't get away with it. Not unless you are rich. This movie is not quite so clear-cut. At every level, things aren't what they seem. The move is never boring and always surprising. It makes you think about the ethics of everyone involved.
Ann E.
says
Richard Gere as always is brilliant in these type of thrillers, something about it reminded me of his previous film 'Intersection' though the storyline was quite differect., the other cast members were also excellent in the family and business associates around him The story revolves around some shady business dealings and a tragic accident that complicates an already tense business deal and a young detective that has a dislike of the rich & pampered social set.
Excellent movie with a storyline that holds your attention BUT as mentioned before the ending is rather disappointing and almost unfinished? ? ?
Melzy
says
A bit predictable ... But it was nice to see some good names in the casting!!!
MLV
says
Very good performances from a pedigree cast.
cherry_bobby
says
Good movie - we thoroughly enjoyed it. He got himself into quite a pickle - very entertaining. Thought it ended very abruptly though.
Ros M
says
Richard Gere was faultless in his acting but the story built and fell short on what could have been a great movie.
TT
says
Poor ending
kimbo
says
This is about a rich and successful investment company head who has committed some errors that would jeopardise his career and life.
"arbitrage" has an interesting story because there are two parallel stories that the main character has to go through. Yes, the rich and successful guy has committed not one but two mistakes, and he has to work very hard to make things right. There us much suspense throughout the film. There are many times when it looks like his mistakes could not be rectified. It is very engaging and thrilling to watch.
The performance by Richard Gere us very good, he portrays the confident business tycoon look, the scared crook look and the frustrated man look brilliantly. I enjoyed watching this film a lot.