• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give
You are here: Home / DVD / The Wizard of Lies: What Will Greed Get You?

The Wizard of Lies: What Will Greed Get You?

July 26, 2017 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

Bernie Madoff perpetrated the largest Ponzi scheme (currently) in history, having defrauded investors out of approximately sixty-five billion dollars. In Diane B. Henriques’ book, The Wizard of Lies, the story she found as she covered the investigation beginning in 2008 is laid out in some detail. Now, in HBO’s original film of the same name, legendary director Barry Levinson tells the story as adapted to the screen by his son, Sam.

But let’s be clear – the captivating elements of the otherwise ‘numerical’ story come from the performances of the main cast, a set of A-list actors.

De Niro seems born for his typical roles, and this is really no different. But Michelle Pfeiffer also stars as Madoff’s wife, Ruth, and Alessandro Nivola (A Most Violent Year, American Hustle) as their son, Mark. [Hank Azaria plays the role of Madoff’s “second-in-command,” Frank DiPascali.]

While the story shows the intense success (fleetingly) that Madoff achieved, the film’s stark warnings about the cost of this abuse of power and truth hang on after the credits end. There’s the impact on Mark and Ruth, not to mention the incarceration of Madoff, and the bitterness felt by Madoff’s other son. But the thousands of people fleeced by the Madoff scheme? Those wounds will last for generations.

In the end, we’re left with Madoff’s own madness – even his final question (via De Niro) to the real-life Henriques playing herself: “Do you think I’m a sociopath?”

Share it!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: DVD, Film, Reviews, Television Tagged With: Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro

About Jacob Sahms

Jacob serves as a United Methodist pastor in Virginia, where he spends his downtime in a theater or playing sports

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • Reporting from Slamdance – The Winners Are…
  • Reporting from Slamdance – a few final films
  • The United States vs. Billie Holiday: Keep Singing a New Song
  • Sex, Drugs & Bicycles: Wait, You Can Do THAT?
  • Minari: What is This Place?
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

Reporting from Slamdance – The Winners Are…

Reporting from Slamdance – a few final films

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.