It's not every day that you see a movie described as a Capraesque thriller, but that describes this Australian film. Unfortunately the combined skill on hand isn't enough to mix oil and water.
David Wenham stars as Jim, a mysterious math genius who goes to work for Anthony Lapaglia's bank. (Ozy LaPaglia plays an American, proving again that world actors play American better than the reverse.) The plot has a speculative element, as tyro Jim has invented a computer program that can predict the stock market. Jim also dates a beautiful bank employee, and much of the suspense involves who'll blink first, or at all, as they scheme to fill their pockets.
** spoilers ahead **
This pre-Recession movie seems prescient in its tale of Type-A's feeding off market corrections, and it gets no argument here on its anti-bank agenda. Some will enjoy the wish-fulfillment, David vs. Goliath aspect. Unfortunately, instead of letting us guess along, as a good thriller does, the movie is simply coy, withholding information until it wants us to have it (the dull title reflects the same posture). This script needed better directing than it gets from Robert Connolly, and perhaps better editing.
David Wenham stars as Jim, a mysterious math genius who goes to work for Anthony Lapaglia's bank. (Ozy LaPaglia plays an American, proving again that world actors play American better than the reverse.) The plot has a speculative element, as tyro Jim has invented a computer program that can predict the stock market. Jim also dates a beautiful bank employee, and much of the suspense involves who'll blink first, or at all, as they scheme to fill their pockets.
** spoilers ahead **
This pre-Recession movie seems prescient in its tale of Type-A's feeding off market corrections, and it gets no argument here on its anti-bank agenda. Some will enjoy the wish-fulfillment, David vs. Goliath aspect. Unfortunately, instead of letting us guess along, as a good thriller does, the movie is simply coy, withholding information until it wants us to have it (the dull title reflects the same posture). This script needed better directing than it gets from Robert Connolly, and perhaps better editing.