Charles Ferguson's Academy Award winning documentary, Inside Job, investigates and assembles a case against the United State's current financial crisis, taking the story back to its beginnings in 2008 to its current nosedive. The topic is complicated, and may seem like dull subject matter, but Ferguson manages to take the subject matter and mold it into something that is approachable and interesting.
When it comes to documentaries, I'm always weary of the filmmaker's underlying political message. As with most cable news coverage, or really every story, there's always some viewpoint the director is trying to get across. I've seen documentarians take "safe" subject matter and twist it into mob-inciting culture attacks, so with something as controversial as the current economic climate, I was sure I'd see some viewpoint tossed completely under the bus in favor of another.
To an extent, you get that, though it wasn't the politically charged blame-fest I was expecting. Instead, Ferguson takes a factual approach, using time as a cornerstone in building his case. He goes through the history of the financial sector, dotting it with a number of news clips and interviews ranging from major players in the Bush administration to academics and even a Wall Street Madame. Topics cover everything from what amounts to Las Vegas-like gambling on money that was never there in the first place to predatory lending practices. There's even a fun bit involving concaine-fueled nights with high-priced prostitutes. A few key players are conspicuously absent, though Ferguson manages to assemble some noteworthy names, including Paul Volcker, Paul Soros and Eliot Spitzer.
Ferguson is fair to both sides politically. Although the Bush administration was on watch when the mess started, he makes a point to show that business continued as usual under the current administration. The larger focus is, instead, on the apparent lack of oversight and the reluctance for reform. Some of the film's better moments are when Ferguson hits people with questions that can't wiggle their way out of. The subjects are visibly uncomfortable and seem completely out of their element, a stark contrast to, as Ferguson shows, the cool collection they display during hearings.
The best bits are featured in the main film, though nine deleted and extended interviews are around if you're so inclined.
The entire package is wrapped with what I thought was the film's most intriguing aspect, the psychology behind Wall Street's actions. Greed plays a big role, but Ferguson sniffs out a number of other reasons for The Street's risk-filled practices and schemes. It's a total gambler's mentality fused with the competitive spirit usually seen in Xbox 360 Achievement nuts.
In addition to the deleted interviews, Ferguson and producer Audrey Marrs provide a commentary track as well. The track, as well as the extra "Making of..." featurette, focuses more on the making of the film rather than the subject matter. Both add some interesting commentary, though neither adds anything incredibly significant to the documentary.
Inside Job is a fascinating and infuriating look at the mess we're currently weathering. Even more frightening than the look back at how we got here is the lasting message that if things don't change soon, it could happen again. It's as much a revealing documentary as it is a big "Trouble Ahead" sign.
