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Since 2008, the global economy has taken a nosedive while millions of people have lost their jobs. It’s a fact that we live with—and struggle with—every day. But if the worldwide financial crisis itself isn’t enough to bring you down, director Charles Ferguson’s exploration of its cause in the documentary Inside Job is sure to do the trick.
Narrated by Matt Damon, this devastating documentary takes a step-by-step look at the greed, corruption, and blatant cluelessness that led to the current economic crisis—starting with the rise of the US financial sector in the 1980s.
As the financial industry went public and salaries started to rise, companies began looking for even more ways to make a quick buck, whether through unregulated derivatives or predatory lending. Then, during the housing boom of the early part of this century, banks borrowed more and more to secure more and more loans—to the point that seemingly any observant economics student could have predicted the impending doom.
Instead, politicians, businessmen, and scholars alike praised the lethal practices, blindly going about their business until it all came crashing down around them in September of 2008.
In investigating the economic crisis from its roots through the present day, Ferguson definitely did his homework, interviewing world politicians, economists, journalists, and others. The result is one brutal documentary, which captures the greed of the ‘80s and the inevitable collapse in a way that sometimes makes it feel like a real-life remake of Oliver Stone’s Wall Street.
But what starts out as a cool and stylish film eventually gives way to an overwhelming blur of dry facts and figures, diagrams, and droning talking heads. It’s all interesting (not to mention absolutely horrifying) stuff, but there’s so much going on in the story—and there are so many details to digest and definitions to remember—that it’s often difficult to keep up (unless, of course, you happen to be an economist).
Ferguson definitely paints a grim and discouraging picture of the world’s economy. The mistakes made decades ago on Wall Street and in Washington now affect people around the world, while the people who made the mistakes have been allowed to walk away with their pockets well padded. And as the economy continues to flounder, the government offers weak and mostly ineffectual financial reforms.
Unfortunately, it seems as though there are no easy solutions here. So when Ferguson concludes his film, you’ll most likely end up slumped in your seat, depressed and overwhelmed, wondering, Now what? As such, Inside Job doesn’t exactly make for light and enjoyable weekend entertainment. But it’s certainly an informative film—and it’s sure to give you a new perspective on the current economic crisis.
