The American Great Depression pushed many prominent directors to create films that have become a notable event in the cultural life of the country. Films about the 2008 crisis in the United States appeared two years after it began. Starting as a mortgage, the crisis spread to the entire global economy and was called the Great Recession.
1. "Tokyo Sonata" (2008)
Films about the 2008 crisis in the United States, which affected many countries of the world and grew into the world, have appeared in many other parts of the world. One of the first was the picture of the Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi, who received the Asian Film Award in 2009, the nomination "Best Film".
When the crisis from America reached Japan, layoffs began among white-collar workers. Crowds of former high-paid managers are running around the city in search of work. Most of them do not talk about dismissal to their families. Among them, the main character Ryuhei Sasaki (Teruyuki Kagawa). Desperate, he takes a job as a janitor at a shopping center, carefully hiding it from Kuoko's wife (Keko Koizumi) and children. The sons of Takashi (Yu Koyanagi) and Kenji (Inovaki Kai) do not understand the actions of his father. Family relationships under the pressure of external circumstances begin to collapse.
2. "Capitalism: A Love Story" (2009)
One of the first documentaries about the 2008 crisis in the United States, shot immediately in the wake of the events. The famous director Michael Moore gave an overview of the entire global financial crisis, measures taken to stimulate the country's economy and the ongoing transition of power to the Barack Obama administration. The film received film prizes of the Venice Film Festival in 2009.
The 2009 film Capitalism: A Love Story is a tough political satire on the existing political system. The eminent director has always been distinguished by its tough civic stance and eccentric behavior. He even became the prototype of a movie hero - a director who hates the United States. In the film, Moore ruthlessly accuses officials, financiers and businessmen, whom he accuses of suffering ordinary people that occurred as a result of the crisis. Against this background, the election victory of Barack Obama, accused by the Republicans of adherence to socialism, is shown.
3. "Wall Street: Money Does Not Sleep" (2010)
The sequel to Wall Street, shot by Oliver Stone in 1987. The new feature film about the 2008 crisis in the United States was the first sequel to the eminent director. The action takes place 23 years after the events described in the previous tape, namely in the second half of 2008.
After eight years in prison, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) is released from prison. An experienced financier writes a book predicting future shocks awaiting global financial markets. Gekko wants to restore relations with his daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). To do this, he decides to help her young man Jacob Moore (Shia Labaff) in exchange for helping to build relationships with her daughter. They decide to make money on the outbreak of the financial crisis.
4. "I would be in heaven" (2009)
The union of American professional film critics called the tragicomedy directed by Jason Reitman the best film of 2009. The film received several film awards and six nominations for the Academy Award. The picture is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Walter Kern. One of the first films about the 2008 crisis in the United States, where some events are covered with humor.
The financial crisis that has begun led to massive layoffs. In order not to engage in this unpleasant work, companies outsource the process. The protagonist Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) brilliantly performs such a job. On one of his business trips, he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), who also spends a lot of time traveling. They begin to meet in different cities of the country. Ryan penetrates the girl with special sympathy. Gradually, he comes to the conclusion that in life he does something not quite right.
5. "In the company of men" (2010)
The main idea of the picture is to answer the question of how to live after being fired during the crisis. The answers and solutions proposed in this film about the 2008 crisis in the USA turned out to be very unpleasant.
A large shipbuilding corporation is experiencing difficulties and begins massive layoffs. Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck), an employee in the sales department, was fired one of the first, because the company has not built ships for a long time. After the scandals and persuasion of his wife, he gets a job as a carpenter with his relative. But soon Jack Dolan (Kevin Costner) gets the opportunity to re-launch the enterprise. He invites Bobby, who agrees to a salary two times less than he received in the past.
6. Insiders (2010)
According to director Ferguson, his picture first of all shows the systemic corruption that exists in the country's financial sector and its dire consequences. Considered the best documentary about the 2008 crisis in the United States. It deservedly received the Oscar in 2011 and the award of the American Guild of Scriptwriters for the best screenplay of a documentary.
The main ideas laid down in the script for the 2010 Insiders movie came from Ferguson long before the 2008 crash. The director is friends with the famous economist Nuriel Rubini and writer Charles R. Morris, who warned of possible shocks in the global economy due to problems in the American mortgage market. The picture is conventionally divided into five parts, each of which is devoted to a specific problem that exists in the American and world economies. Well-known politicians, bankers and financiers share their views on the current economic situation in the film. The main cause of the global crisis, according to most interviewees, is the excessive liberalization of financial markets.
7. "The limit of risk" (2011)
The scenario is based on an event that served as a catalyst for the financial crisis. This is considered the bankruptcy of one of the oldest American investment banks Lehman Brothers. The original name is Margin Call, which means demanding additional financial resources in stock trading. Despite a very modest budget of $ 3.5 million, director Zachary Quinto managed to collect star casts including Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons and Demi Moore.
In a large bank, massive reductions are taking place , Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci) , head of the risk management department, gives the flash drive with the calculations to one of the department employees - Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) before being fired. Together with risk analyst Seth Bregman (Penn Badgley) and senior trader Will Emersonoi (Paul Bettany), they conclude that urgent need to get rid of "toxic" securities. Soon, despite the night, the entire management of the bank is gathering. The film "Risk Limit" in 2011 takes place during the day. And it is necessary to quickly make cynical decisions that affect the fate of millions of people. Before lunch, the bank sold all its bad assets, which brought down the market and ushered in the 2008 crisis.
8. "The game for a fall" (2015)
The script of the picture is based on the book by Michael Lewis, "The Big Game for a Drop. The Secret Springs of a Financial Disaster," published in 2010. This novel, more than six months in the first place in the ranking of the New York Times. The book tells the story of financial analysts who worked directly in the field involved in the cause of the global crisis. In the film "Downgrade Game" in 2015, the theme of the incompetence of ordinary people in global issues, on which their life often depends, is addressed.
The odd hedge fund manager Michael Burry (Christian Bale) is beginning to realize that the US mortgage market may burst soon. He insures the securities of his clients in the amount of about a billion dollars. Soon, other market participants, noticing strange activity, also realize that the collapse of the mortgage market is approaching. Several financiers and brokers, including Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), and Mark Baum (Steve Carell), decide to make money on a short game.