99 Homes
2014
***½
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Noah Lomax, Clancy Brown, J.D. Evermore, Cullen Moss, Dennis Nash, Carl Palmer
In the aftermath of the 2008 housing crisis, a jobless construction worker loses his family home to a ruthless property flipper. To secure a future for his family, he agrees to work for the developer and help him evict other struggling families. Ramin Bahrani's thought-provoking drama may not be based on real events, but it easily could be. The film delivers a grim and unsettling portrayal of the rich exploiting the poor, but Bahrani doesn't have the guts to bring his story to a propely cynical conclusion. Andrew Garfield gives a powerful performance, and Michael Shannon is great as well, even if he's typecast.
