Equity Review
RYAN: I’m glad to be joined by Tina Eghbali for this review – This movie is so powerful and intelligent. It’s a drama that plays like a crime thriller – so intense it felt more like a horror movie. I turned to you at one point and said, “this movie is killing me!” because the drama was so acute.
TINA: And there was never a dull moment. It started and ended strong but, really, throughout the entire movie, I was never bored.
RYAN: The script is so well written and smart. The plot develops in such a unique way. It starts off focusing on one character and then shifts so it has a sot of omnipresent kind of protagonist. And you don’t really know who you’re rooting for or who you can trust to start. It doesn’t really matter though.
TINA: And who the bad guy is shifts as well.
RYAN: Right – we do want to root for someone as an audience but these are all corrupt people. They’re all ambitious, out for themselves. There’s one good person in it.
TINA: But still it’s interesting how the person you sympathize with shifts during the movie.
RYAN: It’s entertainment that feels like a big dose of reality because it feels like this happens in the real world – without giving much away – but there are backstabbers and people who try to undermine others in every industry. Business can be shady.
TINA: It’s shocking to watch because it is the real world out there.
RYAN: People are motivated to move forward and compromise morals to get ahead.
TINA: And they seem to sacrifice other things and their personal relationships.
RYAN: They use anything they have to get ahead. It was horrible and intense.
TINA: It also hooks you in the beginning because you don’t know right away where it’s going or what it’s really all about.
RYAN: It does keep you on your toes. You’re always curious to see what will happen next. It’s also very beautifully shot.
TINA: I thought so too, especially at the beginning.
RYAN: New York looks amazing. It’s also very current, dealing with digital companies.
TINA: One shot, in particular, where a character leave the office and the chair is turning.
RYAN: And she has a beta fish – there is a lot of symbolism, visually, here. Alone in the water… A lot of nuances under the surface.
TINA: I’d definitely see this again to try to pick up on other things.
RYAN: This is the kind of movie I’d also like to watch again and with people, to see how they react to it as well. I would own this. Also of note – this is written by, produced by and directed by all women – which is so rare in Hollywood but also an undertone of gender inequality. That’s brilliant. It’s taken so long for women to be respected in business, in Hollywood. This team is all extremely talented and I look forward to other great things from this director, Meera Menon.
TINA: And the cast. I didn’t recognize anyone as very famous in it.
RYAN: Anna Gunn was on TV’s Breaking Bad and I loved seeing Craig Bierko and Tracie Thoms in supporting roles.
TINA: I just loved this. It feels like a truthful, raw movie. I’d see it again and would even like a sequel.
RYAN: It definitely causes a reaction. It’s a great movie.
