By Philip Doyle
Arbitrage is Nicholas Jarecki’s new thriller about lust, greed, and the desperate measures taken to avoid the karmic backwash of shameful acts. Writer and director Jarecki immerses the audience in a world filled with the shiny opulent trappings of high-risk investment.
By all appearances, Robert Miller (Richard Gere) is filthy rich, beaming with confidence, and an admired family man. A billionaire possessing formidable wit and intelligence, and swinging a hefty set of gold cojones. Then we discover, and in my opinion way to soon, that he is a cheat. He cheats in business, he cheats on his wife, and he lies to his family. In reality, Miller is desperate and constantly vying for ways to protect his exaggerated wealth and adulterous nature.
Miller’s world is beginning to unravel. He has hedged the books and borrowed millions to cover up the exaggerated value of his company. Meanwhile, his dilemma worsens when he flees the scene of a car crash that has killed his bitchy-French-artist-mistress.
So … all of this has happened within the first 20 minutes or so of the film. We know about the hedging and the cheating. We know that money makes Miller's world go round. We know that he will do what it takes to minimize the collateral damage of his deceptive acts and greedy nature. We know Miller is a weasel, albeit a smart and charming weasel, and a master of deflection. He is obviously brilliant and has the ability to work his way out of sticky predicaments. We know all of this, way too soon.
The thrill of
Arbitrage then becomes watching Robert Miller artfully dodging and weaving to avoid financial ruin, and felony manslaughter and fraud charges. Thankfully, Gere is in top form. His performance has an alluring gloss, and a dodgy, callus core.
Richard Gere has often been underrated as an actor. Personally, I think he has risen high from the ranks of an
Officer and a Gentleman and gives
Arbitrage great credibility. (Plus, he is my favorite Buddhist DILF).
Tim Roth plays a bulldog detective who has a growing animosity toward
rich people’s ability to escape conviction. As usual, Roth embodies his
character with committed and deceptively competent realness.
It is always a pleasure to see Susan Sarandon. She play’s the scorned, but not-at-all naive wife. With the exception of a rather predictable plot twist, it is a shame that Sarandon’s formidable acting skills were so under utilized in this film.
A standout is Brit Marling who plays the billionaire’s daughter. Indie film fans will remember her highly acclaimed performance in Another Earth. Marling proves to be a versatile, complex, and competent actor. Nate Parker's portrayal of Miller's unknowing accomplice is well played and touching.
The story had my full attention from the get go, yet, like the worn out gloss of it’s main character, the thrill became desperate, hurried, and expected.
Arbitrage is an initially engaging story that has been placed in the hands of excellent actors. Richard Gere's performance is a good reason to see this film. But, in the end, the sum is not as great as its parts.
Arbitrage will be shown as part of this year's Starz Denver Film Festival. Last year, a record-breaking 55,025 people attended the Starz Denver Film Festival . During the twelve-day period, we exhibited more than 282 films from 40 countries, held over a dozen receptions and panel discussions, and hosted over 198 filmmakers and special guests, while actors Judy Greer, James Cromwell, and Alan Cumming were in attendance to receive the Festival's top awards. Plans for many exciting programs are already underway for this year's Festival that will run November 1-11, 2012.
