Main Page
Alphabetical Menu
The "E" Menu

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Unrated)





Release Date: April 22nd (NYC-Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and Landmark Sunshine Cinema), by Magnolia Pictures.

Basic Premise: A documentary about the corruption and greed which led to the ultimate bankruptcy of Enron.

Entertainment Value: The topic of Enron is itself a hot and intriguing topic. The interviews and news clips are all very engaging and informative, especially for those who know very little about Enron or business. However, for those familiar with the topics, the information is redundant at times. How many times do we need to know that the CEO of Enron was greedy? The movie does look very sharp despite that it is shot in digital. The editing and soundtrack are quite exceptional as well.

Spiritual Value: A good documentary is in many ways like a good essay. It must have a good thesis, support and conclusion. The main problem with this documentary is that the conclusion is not insightful enough. It's not supposed to repeat the thesis that Enron was greedy, but elaborate on it to make it spicier. Some of the supporting arguments, such as that Enron "supposedly" cut the power in CA to raise their stock prices, are interesting and insightful, but it is not tied into the big picture good enough in the conclusion. That supporting fact feels like a thesis of its own and deserves to be a in a different, more focused documentary. It was a good idea to put faces behind the Enron scandal. There is some very insightful footage with Ken Lay as well as a journalist who wrote a very interesting article about Enron.

Insult to your intelligence: The message about Enron's greediness hits the audience over the head too many times.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

The Bottom Line: A well-shot documentary with a hot topic, but more focus and a better conclusion would have made it as spicy and provocative as The Corporation, a superior documentary also about corporate greed, among other topics.

Recommended Way to Watch: Movie Theater (2nd Run)


Main Page
Alphabetical Menu
The "E" Menu


______________________________________________________
Avi Offer
The NYC Movie Guru
themovieguru101@yahoo.com
Privacy Policy