Butler's Cinema Scene

Anna Gunn

“EQUITY” My rating: C

“Equity” arrives on theater screens with a promising and unusual pedigree.  This female-centric financial thriller was produced, written and directed by women.

That’s nice. If only it were a better film.

Written by Amy Fox and Sarah Megan Thomas, “Equity” wants to tap some of the same emotional/intellectual/political  buttons hit so deftly in “Margin Call,” “Arbitrage,” and “The Big Short” — only with a feminist perspective.

Well, it’s got the woman’s angle, all right. But on most of the other counts it’s lightweight stuff.

Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn of “Breaking Bad” fame) is a hot shot at a huge investment bank. Her job is to put together big IPOs that can bring in millions if not billions of bucks. Currently she’s putting together a campaign for a Silicon Valley outfit that specializes in internet security.

But Naomi isn’t feeling the love she should. Her boss has passed her over for a big promotion and she’s still sore after her last IPO went belly up. She’s told she may be too aggressive (something nobody would use as a negative were she a man).

Small wonder she spends much of her down time pounding away at a heavy bag.

At least there’s a man in her life, a coworker, Michael (James Purefoy), who manages investors’ portfolios. But Michael is a mixed blessing. Loverboy isn’t above milking Naomi for information on upcoming deals that he can use to his advantage — information that once leaked  could land her in criminal court.

In the meantime she advises a meeting of younger women that she’s in it for the money and the feeling that success provides. “Don’t let money be a dirty word!” she tells them.

Alysia Reiner

Among the other characters are Naomi’s No. 2, Erin (co-writer and co-producer Thomas), who resents her own lack of advancement. Erin has yet another issue — she’s just discovered she’s pregnant, and at a time when fat is being trimmed from the payroll that might be her undoing.

With her prospects dwindling,  she does something unethical. A couple of things, actually.

And then there’s Samantha (co-producer Alysia Reiner, a veteran of Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black”), a school acquaintance of Naomi now building white-collar criminal prosecutions for the feds. Under the guise of reviving old friendships she schmoozes with Naomi, but her goal is purely mercenary.  She hopes her old gal pal will spill some dirt about insider trading.

She’s also willing to romantically troll a male investment banker in the hopes of catching him in a criminal act. Even the good guys are ethically challenged.

I cannot speak as to whether the film reflects the reality of investment banking or the government’s pursuit of white-collar crime.

But in simple storytelling terms “Equity” –directed by Meera Menon — is a bland meal delivered with little or no cinematic style.

Every character is so conflicted and/or outright corrupt that it’s hard to find anyone to root for. Of course, you can make a compelling movie without “likable” characters — but it takes more pizzazz than “Equity” can muster.

This one feels like a missed opportunity.

| Robert W. Butler