Enron - The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Moderate coarse language, Moderate sexual references, Adult theme
| Director: | Alex Gibney |
| Actors: | John Beard, Jim Chanos, Carol Coale, Peter Coyote, Gray Davis, Joseph Dunn, Max Eberts, Peter Elkind, Andrew Fastow, David Freeman |
The inside story behind the most infamous corporate fraud of all time – the Enron scandal – has been brought to light in a fascinating documentary. For the year 2001, Enron was ranked as the 6th largest corporation in the world, but before the year was out, the company was rocked by scandal and filed for bankruptcy. Millions of people lost their life savings, and thousands of employees lost their jobs. Based on the best-selling book 'The Smartest Guys in The Room' by Fortune reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, and featuring insider account and incendiary corporate audio and videotapes, director Alex Gibney reveals the almost unimaginable personal excesses of the Enron hierarchy and utter moral vacuum that posed as corporate philosophy.
| Status: | QuickPick |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 105mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: |
If you like this, try these:
Member Reviews (43)
43 Member
Reviews
Bavin
says
This well-made documentary tells the sordid tale of the corporate collapse of Enron, which was an energy company with very creative accounting procedures. It's the standard documentary format with lots of talking heads, but the ramifications are chilling. It wasn't only Enron executives but also banks, insurance companies, analysts, and auditors who turned a corrupt eye. It could happen again in any economy that has unfettered greed but no governmental controls.
E..
says
Reminds me more recent similar documentary "Inside Job"; it is becoming such a familiar sad "old story" of unchecked human greed... Another documentary about lack of accountability, clear fraud, unhealthy links between politics and businesses, undisclosed conflicts of interests, etc. Also the really bad part is that not much has changed since then. It has happened again in 2008 and something similar will happen again and again. The rich will be richer and the poor will be poorer. The democratic system can fail us (and will fail us again and again) in the face of big money pushing own deregulation agendas very forcefully; the poor do not have that power.
L Hammond
says
not a very good dvd - kept freezing frames
ryand
says
On a purely entertainment level TGITR will appeal to a much wider audience than
anybody interested in history, drama or disaster porn. Wish I'd burnt it for more
repeat viewings.
kb
says
Had high expectations for this documentary, but ultimately delivered little more than
an extended CNBC report.
Jodie B.
says
This was a great documentary. Very disturbing how some people will put profits before lives.
Francine
says
A story of greed, pride and morals... it would make anyone who works for a large multinational question about what goes on 'upstairs'. Fairly good doco.
David
says
Disappointing quality and insight here. Not one of the best documentaries or analysis of this easy to understand example of 'greed' and 'power' gone haywire
Gerd
says
Fraud, illegal behaviour, corruption in business and politics. It's all rather sad and a little hard to understand how it all happened, despite the film's best efforts to explain the complex. These Enron guys may have been the "smartest guys in the room", but they certainly didn't know right from wrong. It's interesting to see this documentary now in 2009. The Enron collapse was in 2001 and while it affected the lives and futures of thousands of employees and investors, it probably was of little concern to most Australians. But we now know that similar shenanigans and creative accounting in the US have affected all of us.
Luke
says
Had seen before, but I think this doco is awesome. I think it is worth every person watching this to understand how greedy people are and how people will look the other way as long as they are getting in on the action - corporate Underbelly really.
stimpy
says
OK. Usual story of fact...
alex
says
An excellent documentary ! These events bubbled to the surface in 2001 and as such they give us a very clear insight into the very scary world of the Bush administration economic policies ie NO regulation and let the corporations run wild.
The results of this approach were hammered home by the electricity crisis in California when Enron were able to set their own prices per kilowatt. They faked all sorts of power outtages and in the end ripped 30 billion dollars out of the Californian economy.
They really DO need some serious changes. Maybe Barack Obama can supply them !
ka-tet
says
Fascinating to see the filmmakers use of images to get their agenda across, much the same way Enron manipulated numbers to make the shareholder believe there was profit to be made.
Alex A.
says
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. A doccumentary for doccumentary lovers.
Jason M.
says
Bridgette C.
says
I found myself repeatedly shaking my head as the Enron story unravelled. Scary to see how greed can drive people!!
Elliot S.
says
Opens your eyes. those guys were smart.
em-zed
says
Excellent expose of corporate greed, arrogance and fraud. Well-presented, well-paced. Reminds us not accept everything we hear from the mighty and powerful - especially when they are about to fall!
Ross G.
says
Most informative. How sad to see that those who benefit most from the capitalist and democratic system are so exploitative that they might very well bring the system to its knees. Who will be next? Macquarie Bank?
David B.
says
Really interesting and thoroughly engaging.
Darren C.
says
very informitive cant believe that US accountancy laws provided companies to book potential profits (even if they didnt eventuate) so many got sucked into the hype of Enron -corrupt from the bottom up to Bush ....
Claudia B.
says
It's a documentary about the collapse of Enron. Very thorough, long movie, but very interesting.
Thomas S.
says
Tony
says
This film should be compulsory viewing for everyone over the age of 14. With the exception of a few they were all in it, Enron - management and staff- the banks, the stock market analysts and politicians. This is probably the greatest financial scandal of modern times.
Big business might complain about regulation but where would we be without it?
This film draws on actual footage most of the time. The performance of Enron's executives deceiving staff and shareholders outperforms any Oscar winning actors.
Nan L.
says
Did not come up to our expectations.
Thanks, Nan
Mark N.
says
Engaging and enraging, this expertly crafted doco allows even the 'Lay'person to fully comprehend the depth of Enron's outrageous scam.
Melanie R.
says
Bo M.
says
An excellent insight into a culture of corporate greed. Always question your top brass, especially if they are selling a lot of stock they wish you to own.
Craig V.
says
Andrew H.
says
Andrew H.
says
Ben
says
An amazingly entertaining and informative documentary. Easily teaches you not to trust those in power seemingly holding respectable and responsible positions (business leaders and the governments in their pockets). The deregulation and collapse of the Californian energy market was especially outrageous.
Glenn R.
says
Alexander Z.
says
Jag
says
This is an excellent documentary. It shows how Human Greed can lead to disaster if left without any controls. The film introduces quite complex concepts in a entertaining manner. Well worth a look.
Shawnster
says
Quite a fast moving Documentary, portraying the level of greed and arrogance that the CEO, CFO had to investors and probably customers. Interestingly Ken Lay CEO of Enron died in July without being charged. Skilling got 25yrs or so recently. So the smartest guys weren't exactly the lucky guys. Definitely worth a view!
Richard L.
says
Good docco, shows that some people were just never meant to run a business ;)
Annette L.
says
Tom C.
says
Very vague on the detail of how it happened and who was really to blame. Done in the style of Michael Moore with constant digs at George Bush. Leaves you open to the premise that all big business is unethical and that banks, investment companies, lawyers, accountanting firms etc all have a finger in a very profitable pie at the expense of the little man.
Terence B.
says
Very clear, complete, and telling account of the way things can go wrong when one is allowed to bluff their way through any scrutiny or accountability. Multipy that by many and there is disaster.
Marg O.
says
JamesFrangi
says
Crisp, sharp, analytical interjected with some humour without seeming too philosophical or moralising. Not a boring moment even though it's a documentary. Many lessons to be learnt from arguably the fraud of the century which involved so many top level people and corporations.
jwaters
says
Shows the real life Gordon Gecko's of the world. Very well made and extremely entertaining. Will leave you shaking your head in disbelief of the corruption and cover-up that exists in the business world.