Margin Call (Film)

A question repeatedly asked by the bankers in Margin Call is: 'How much do you make?'

Directed by newcomer J.C. Chandor, the film tells the story of an investment bank 24 hours before it causes the 2008 financial crisis.

When the company sacks Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci), its head of risk management, he passes a USB thumb drive to junior employee Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto). Eric looks Peter in the eye and warns him to be careful.

Peter stays up all night to investigate the contents of the device. He discovers a loophole in the company's financial products which could sink it.

The movie then focuses on the board of directors' struggle to save the company. We see the painful decisions they have to make and their willingness to breach moral boundaries.

Although the story pans out as expected, the brilliant script keeps the audience pinned to their seats. The cast brings the money-versus-morality conflict vividly to life - as in the scene in which company chairman John Tuld (Jeremy Irons) corners Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey) in the toilet to ensure he knows what he has to do to save the company.