Review: Ambitious women on Wall Street in taut 'Equity'
One of the first films to feature the ins and outs of an IPO at its suspenseful core, Meera Menon's “Equity” also has the distinction of being a Wall Street trailblazer made by and primarily starring women but built for all viewers who love a good yarn.
Written by Amy Fox with supporting performers Sarah Megan Thomas and Alysia Reiner doubling as story collaborators, the tale of high finance greed and ambition echoes Nicholas Jarecki’s under-seen “Arbitrage” down to its precision filmmaking and authorities ready to pounce at criminals' first mistake.
“Breaking Bad” star Anna Gunn leads a cast of largely unknowns — a status soon likely to change — as Remson Partners senior investment banker Naomi Bishop, introduced in the midst of washing off the stink of the IPO for tech company Dynacorps for which she was replaced by another underwriter due to her prickly personality.
Captured through plentiful wide shots to highlight the luxurious interiors and exteriors of Naomi’s world and backed by a simple but mysterious piano theme from Alexis & Sam that hints at trouble ahead, “Equity” grants her a chance at redemption with the launch of social network Cachet.
Rock solid in gaining the company’s confidence — mirroring Gunn's well-earned hold over viewers — she’s nonetheless paranoid about making another mistake after the Dynacorps fiasco, a susceptibility that tragically permits security concerns from staff coder Marin (Sophie von Haselberg) to consume her, despite assurances from Cachet CEO Ed (Samuel Roukin) that it’s just an unfounded rumor.
Enriching the delicious drama is Naomi’s romantic involvement with cagey Remson broker Michael Connor (James Purefoy), a relationship her old schoolmate and current U.S. Attorney’s office investigator Samantha Ryan (Reiner) hopes will translate into evidence of insider trading despite Naomi’s insistence that she keeps to her side of the office legal “wall.”
If the narrative web isn’t sufficiently tangled as is, “Equity” weaves in Naomi’s VP Erin Manning (Thomas), desperate for a promotion that she fears is in jeopardy once her pregnancy comes to light, and Michael’s friend Benji Akers (Craig Bierko), a hedge fund tycoon circling his old pal for helpful investment details like a shark who’s missed a few meals.
Where it leads may be largely predictable, but with direction, acting — Gunn’s inability to fully sell Naomi’s high-dollar profanity aside — and writing this strong, a general lack of surprises hardly matters.
Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Starts Aug. 26 at Carolina Cinemark.