Review: 'Arbitrage' is charged and fast paced

Film: Arbitrage (A)
Director: Nicholas Jarecki
Cast: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling, Nate Parker, Laetitia Casta and others
Rating: ***1/2

Arbitrage is many things; it works as a family drama, a crime saga, and as a story of slow descent of a business tycoon ruined by his own ambition.

The first 10 minutes successfully establish Robet Miller (Richard Gere) as a massively successful hedge fund magnate who has it all. He has all the money in the world, a beautiful wife in Ellen (Susan Sarandon), two brilliant children who have happily and willingly joined the family business and the world seems perfect.

End the first ten minutes and what unfolds thereon is what his life really is — a lie. A car accident later, in which his mistress Julie (Laetitia Casta) is burnt to death while he flees the scene, he finds himself dependent on the silence of a young African-American man named Jimmy (Nate Parker) to keep his world from toppling over.

High-charged and fast-paced, Arbitrage leaves an impression. A lot of financial jargon, business dealings, investigation et all is thrown at the audience simultaneously but you have a complete understanding of what is happening at all times. The accident and death bit of the story is not central but equally important; it marks the initiation of his downfall.

Miller is screwed either way. If the charge of manslaughter is proved, he will be ruined but if his business fraud is exposed he will be equally destroyed.

The characterisations are brilliant. Miller is sexist, materialistic, cheating fraud of a businessman and there is no reason for you to like him but despite all of it you find yourself rooting for him, his family, his daughter, his reputation. You want a happy ending for a man who, in fact, deserves to go to jail.

Gere gives a stellar performance as Miller and is supported expertly by Sarandon and others. Her role is limited but the one scene where she needs to shine, she does so in every sense of the word. The rest of the cast hold their ends up well and the film can boast of decent performances all around.

Arbitrage is a bloody good way to spend your weekend and completely worth the money.