DVD review: Arbitrage

Published May 16, 2014

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Arbitrage

***

A Gere special...

If this one feels as if you might have seen it before, perhaps not. It’s simply that it’s the kind of movie that Richard Gere does over and over again. He’s the dependable man who with his flashy yet distinguished silver hair and stylish suit just never seems to put a foot wrong – but that’s how he slips under the radar.

He’s not your usual criminal. In fact, he plays the kind of characters that never see themselves as being in the wrong. He’s just protecting the family while having a bit of fun on the side.

Married to Susan Sarandon with Brit Marling as his daughter, it’s the picture-perfect family. But this is a man driven by much more than greed.

He doesn’t value anyone in his life enough to really take stock and it is only when the pieces come tumbling down that he has to review his life.

It turns out to be much more damaged than he could have anticipated.

It’s a predictable tale and you kind of know from the beginning where it’s going. But if you’re a Gere fan, this is stock trade for him and probably just the kind of fare you expect from a man who never seems ruffled whether good or bad.

It would be good though to see Sarandon in a role that stretches her a bit.

Hollywood has not been kind to her lately and this is not the one either. She almost has to sail through the paces because it doesn’t get much tougher than that in this role as a trophy wife.

Why hasn’t she found some of the juicier parts? Or have Streep and Mirren grabbed them all? – Diane de Beer

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