Jeremy Irons Plays A Dick Fuld-Like Banker in "Margin Call"

As politicians in Washington continue to argue over the causes of the financial crisis, filmmakers in Hollywood continue to put their beliefs of its causes onto the screen.

The latest feature about the financial crisis, "Margin Call," starring starring Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons, tracks a 24-hour period in the early hours of the 2008 financial crisis at a firm that's meant to closely resemble Lehman Brothers. "Margin Call" premiered earlier this week at the Sundance Film Festival, and while Irons, as the morally ambivalent head honcho of the Lehman Brothers lookalike, and Spacey, as the banker with a conscience, have been nearly unanimously receiving rave reviews for their performances, the quality of the film itself has received mixed reports.

The New York Post called it "inept," "inert" and "astonishly lifeless" (sounds a tad like Lehman's ex-boss), while the Guardian says it "looks good," "has some great dialogue" and "could emerge as a neat time capsule of an appalling episode of human behaviour."

Given the film's ensemble cast -- the film also stars Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci and Demi Moore -- it will no doubt be picked up by a production company soon, so in a few months you'll be able to make your own call about its worth.

In the meantime, here's a clip:

(NYP)

(Guardian)

(Related: Stone's Sequel to Wall Street: Giving Gekko A Heart)