Arbitrage, released in theaters on September 14, 2012, is a sleek, stylish, and highly effective thriller that hinges on a masterful performance by Richard Gere. The film, written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki, delves into the high-stakes world of finance and the moral compromises made by those at the top.
It’s a gripping character study that is less about a financial crime and more about the lengths a man will go to protect his carefully constructed world.
The plot follows Robert Miller (Gere), a charismatic hedge fund magnate who manages the fund with his daughter, Brooke (Brit Marling) and is on the verge of selling it for a substantial profit. He’s a man who has it all: a loving family, immense wealth, and a sterling reputation.
However, his perfect life is a house of cards built on fraud.
Behind the scenes, he’s desperately trying to unload his empire to avoid an audit that would expose a multi-million dollar hole in his books. The situation spirals out of control when he gets into a serious car accident that kills his mistress.
In a panic, he flees the scene and seeks help from a young man from his past, Jimmy Grant (Nate Parker), setting off a chain of events that puts him under the close scrutiny of a determined detective, Detective Bryer (Tim Roth).
The film is a fantastic showcase for Gere, who delivers a career-defining performance as the charming yet ruthless Miller.
Susan Sarandon is excellent as his long-suffering wife, Ellen, and Marling holds her own as his brilliant but naive daughter.
Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon in Arbitrage (Photo/Lionsgate)
Laetitia Casta, a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1998 to 2000, plays Julie Cote, a gallery owner who is having an affair with Miller.
Roth brings a quiet, simmering intensity to his role as the detective, and the supporting cast, including Bruce Altman, Stuart Margolin, and Reg E. Cathey, all contribute to the film’s intensity.
The film arrived at a time when public sentiment towards Wall Street was at a low, and it tapped into that mood with a narrative that felt both timely and timeless.
Reception for Arbitrage
Arbitrage grossed $2 million on its opening weekend, in limited release on 197 screens.
Its $10,163 per screen average topped the No. 1 film of the weekend, Resident Evil: Retribution, which earned $6,989 per screen.
Arbitrage, which debuted at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, opened simultaneously in movie theaters and VOD (video-on-demand), part of the reason it opened on 197 screens. The film would gross an additional $14 million from VOD sales in the United States.
The film would gross $35.5 million worldwide.
Legacy
The film’s legacy is primarily its powerful examination of greed and the culture of impunity.
Arbitrage is a sharp and tense thriller that successfully blends a moral drama with a police procedural. It’s a compelling watch, largely due to its strong cast and focused direction.
