Anyone catch the HBO Original movie this week starring Robert DeNiro as Bernie Madoff? I thought it was really well done - directed by Barry Levinson's son, Michael.
What an unbelievable path of destruction this guy led.
was very good. He did a good job of going back and forth between exhibiting some regret and exhibiting some apathy about the problems he caused. Some of it comes across as a lack of self awareness.
Reading more interviews from his time in jail, it seems to lean more towards apathy and worse.
Depicted Madoff as a sociopath and gave the family a pass in terms of their knowledge of the Ponzi scheme. Where it didn't give the family a pass is in letting Bernie's regular shitty behavior (of the non-financial sort) go because they were afraid to confront him or upset the money train. The government is also completely inept, therefore complicit to some degree.
I expect Pfeiffer and DeNiro to win some awards, maybe even Hank Azaria.
RE: I couldn't help but to keep comparing it to the Richard Dreyfuss one
whose parents were among Madoff's victims. She thought the film went to easy on BM understandably
I thought so. They almost (almost) wanted to make him seem like a victim, or at least pitiable. It wasn't until the very end where I got the stronger sociopathic vibes.
DeNiro was excellent, nuanced, facial contortions, contemplation, rage, etc., the gamut.
What did surprise me was how well I thought Michelle Pfeiffer played the role: when I first saw her cast (Ellen Chenoweth, crafty, excellent), I said to myself, Pfeiffer as Ruth Madoff, but I thought she pulled it off very well, stronger as the two hours + went on.
A shameful episode on the Street, where it is full of them. CEO of a client I had years ago was a Bernie client ("Bernie just keeps bringing it in...."); mercifully, he died before 2008, but his wife had to deal with the fallout, terrible.
and her husband was one of the worst criminals in modern times. Humiliated, shamed in public, ostracized and berated on an hourly basis. Surprised she didn't off herself (though she tried).
But I prefer Dreyfuss' for the same reason someone already mentioned - DeNiro makes him too sympathetic. Dreyfuss played him as a straight-up sociopath.
She was keeping the books in the very early years, late 60s. But if the film is to be believed, she had virtually no involvement after that. But yeah, can't be entirely sure.
Same with the sons. Madoff in the film makes it very clear he maintained that separation between advisory and market making/IB activities, where his sons worked. Hard to believe they knew nothing but it at least seems plausible. They refused to push for details out of reverence to him.
I haven't watched the movie yet, but I think it's plausible
If you get a chance try and catch that one some time.
Reading more interviews from his time in jail, it seems to lean more towards apathy and worse.
I expect Pfeiffer and DeNiro to win some awards, maybe even Hank Azaria.
If you get a chance try and catch that one some time.
Totally Agree. Dreyfus movie was much better.
Apparently Ruth now lives in Old Greenwich, CT in a condo and mostly keeps to herself. She was allowed to keep $2.5 Million.
If you get a chance try and catch that one some time.
Thanks for the recommendation. It's going to be on CNBC on Thursday.
What did surprise me was how well I thought Michelle Pfeiffer played the role: when I first saw her cast (Ellen Chenoweth, crafty, excellent), I said to myself, Pfeiffer as Ruth Madoff, but I thought she pulled it off very well, stronger as the two hours + went on.
A shameful episode on the Street, where it is full of them. CEO of a client I had years ago was a Bernie client ("Bernie just keeps bringing it in...."); mercifully, he died before 2008, but his wife had to deal with the fallout, terrible.
Apparently Ruth now lives in Old Greenwich, CT in a condo and mostly keeps to herself. She was allowed to keep $2.5 Million.
She's lost too much as it is. Poor woman.
Wasn't she a director at the company? I suspect it was a BS title, but can't be 100% sure.
Same with the sons. Madoff in the film makes it very clear he maintained that separation between advisory and market making/IB activities, where his sons worked. Hard to believe they knew nothing but it at least seems plausible. They refused to push for details out of reverence to him.