Ostensibly ripping a page from the well-publicized Bernie Madoff case, the new film Arbitrage from writer-director Nicholas Jarecki is not only timely, it’s a thoroughly satisfying drama with a terrific lead performance by Richard Gere, his finest on-screen work since he played a corrupt L.A. cop in the 1990 film Internal Affairs which got overshadowed by his other 1990 film, the wildly popular (still) Pretty Woman.
Robert Miller (Gere) is a billionaire hedge fund magnate living the life of luxury in Manhattan with his gorgeous, philanthropist wife Ellen (Oscar winner Susan Sarandon). Their enormous Manhattan digs are straight out of Architectural Digest. They fly around in a private jet. They donate time and a considerable amount of money to a variety of charities and organizations. Their grown daughter (actress-writer-producer Brit Marling, Another Earth and Sound of My Voice) helps run the company.
While the spreadsheets say Miller’s business empire is thriving, he knows that’s not the case, and hasn’t been for some time. In order to keep up appearances, Miller has been cooking the books and in the process placed everything – his family, his reputation and his clients’ investments – into severe jeopardy. During his desperate attempt to unload the company before his creative accounting is exposed, Miller must deal with another crisis when he’s involved in an auto accident that he manages to walk away from but his art dealer mistress (played by French model Laetitia Casta) does not.
As was the case with Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone’s magnum opus to the underbelly of corporate America, Wall Street, Nicholas Jarecki’s Arbitrage is especially potent due to the fact that its writer also has an intimate knowledge of the financial world. Stone’s father (to whom Wall Street is dedicated) was a stockbroker, whereas Jarecki’s father is a well-known commodities trader. Even to a neophyte, it’s crystal clear Jarecki knows his stuff, and he presents the complicated world of finance in a specific, yet easily digestible manner.
While Arbitrage is really Gere’s show, he’s surrounded by a top notch supporting cast headed by Sarandon, whose been on a roll this year turning in one fine performance after another, especially in Jeff, Who Lives At Home; indie darling Marling; Oscar nominee Tim Roth (Rob Roy) as a determined detective on Miller’s tail; and Nate Parker (Red Tails) as a young man from his Miller’s past whom he calls upon to run interference.
If there was ever a film and a performance of Gere’s to do back flips over, it’s Arbitrage. Here’s hoping the silver screen’s silver fox finally gets his proper due come awards season, especially on Oscar nomination day.
Grade: 4 stars (out of 5)
Stars: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta and Nate Parker
Directed By: Nicholas Jarecki
Written By: Nicholas Jarecki
Produced By: Laura Bickford, Kevin Turen, Justin Nappi, and Robert Salerno
Distributor: Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions
Rating: R, for language, brief violent images and drug use.
Running Time: Approximately 100 minutes
Website: Arbitrage-film.com
Budget: $10 Million
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Release Date: Sept. 14, 2012
