Every now and then you come across a brilliant piece of art that touches your core (... or makes you believe that you have one!), and makes you ponder over of various aspects of life even more deeply. From the Muccino - Smith combo of "The Pursuit of Happyness" comes another such movie - as intense, as deep... yet far more impactful (inspite of not being a true story!).
A line in the film (about a Jellyfish) sums up the movie pretty well. It goes like "The most beautiful acts and creations of God are, sometimes, his deadliest". The simple storyline of the movie is about a successful MIT graduate, who has everything going well for him. A successful job, a loving fiance, a sea-facing bungalow - he has it all. And then, in a freak accident (caused due to his negligence), he loses his fiance, and also becomes responsible for the death of six other innocent people. The entire movie is about his life after such an accident - his need for redemption for the innocent blood on his hands, his half-hearted attempts to revive his life - and the ultimate end of the movie - which is to be seen, rather than read here!
At over 2 hrs, the movie may seem a bit slow - but then this slowness is desirable to understand and appreciate the movie and the messages underlying each scene. Will Smith has really done some outstanding work to break his 'super-hero' and 'on a mission to save the world' image that he had been continuing - starting from MIB to the more recent 'Hancock' and 'I am Legend'. Chances are, if you liked his role in "Pursuit of Happyness", you are going to love him in this movie!
A significant plot of the movie also relates to the beginning (and end) of his love affair with Emily (Rosario Dawson) - a lovely and simple-hearted lady - who - it turns out - has an estimated life-span of around 6-8 weeks when they actually fall in love with each other! There are quite a few scenes and dialogs that touch you deeply in their 'destined-to-doom' love story. The scene where they play a "what-if" game, and imagine a happy future together with family and kids - being totally aware of its impossibility - has been shot brilliantly with appropriate pace, emotions, and words (and most importantly - sliences!) There are multiple such scenes - where very little has been said - but a lot has been conveyed and understood... by the characters... and by the audiences. Never has the 'tool of silence' been employed so effectively in any of the recent movies. Even in the very last scene of the movie, when two key characters of the movie meet each other for the first time; they exchange only a few little words, but the most intense and emotional messages of the movie is exchanged, and that is a 'gulp in the throat' moment (or 'take-ur-hanky-out' moment for more soft-hearted!) for the audiences.
A brilliant author and director is one, who whispers to you much more than his / her words and scenes speak. Muccino has scored very brilliantly in this aspect. Definitely go for a dekko if you like movies which gets your mind and heart to be more active (and behave even differently! :-)) than their usual activities and behaviours in any average Hollywood / Bollywood flick!
You will like this movie if you have liked:
The Pursuit of Happyness
Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind
Added Recommendation:
Do not go with big bunch of friends for a fun-time. You wont like it unless you get involved in the film.
Do let me know what you think of this movie.
~GS
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Book Review - Liar's Poker
In its true sense, money is defined as "a tool to measure one's "contribution" to the benefit of society". Innovate, create jobs, bring in efficient - and "make money". Gates made tons of it, Ambani made it big and Balmer cracked it too - and they did it the 'right' way! But what about Richard Fuld - the ex-Lehman CEO!?
Well - I never really appreciated the extent of value that I-bankers, traders, structured product developers and other such forms of life provide to the society. Sure - they bring in some sort of financial efficiency into the system by playing the broker in the business. Sure - they help you fulfill your dreams - not by a charity - but by a careful assessment of your "NPV". Sure - they help in de-risking your business by hedging / forex solutions. Sure - they play the middle-men in completion of a financial deal. But are the prime motivations for offering such services limited to "benefiting" the client / society? Can these professionals actually see if there is a "value erosion" in any of the above deals? And more importantly, will these people stop if they actually see a "value erosion" in any of the services... Erosions that can lead to a prolonged recession - as one we are witnessing today?
"Liar's Poker" by michael lewis answers the above questions, and dwells into more!
The book is a kind of story-cum-narration that takes you through the life of the author when he joined Solomon Brothers in early 1980s. The book starts with his initial days at the firm where he lands up as a fresh graduate with no taste of the corporate world. It then covers his orientation cum practical training session where he gradually lets go of his integrity, morals and ethics for that additional piece of bonus. There are certain interesting narratives where author explores his conundrum of making a choice between "higher bonus" or "letting down a customer who bets his life on your word". The gradual metamorphosis of the author into one of the highly successful employee of the firm, the political equations in such an environment, the sleaze-fests, its all there - the author has described, in goriest of details, all about the life of a Solomon trader (which incidentally many of us in fin professions can relate to)!
The book provides an interesting "insider view" of what went wrong in Solomon Brothers (in 1980s. His perspective on how the lure of a million dollar bonus leads people to chuck integrity, honesty and even common sense out of the window is quite interesting, pretty saddening and quite relevant now.
The book is a very good read, esp. in the current context. The book will make you appreciate how we landed up in the mess we are in! The entire information on what goes behind those office walls - how risky assets are bought at a pittance, how the inherent risks are bundled and sold off at exorbitant prices, and how the money thus earned in bonuses spent - will either make you abhor this profession (or absolutely love it - depending on your perspective of love the world or hate the world!). This book will also enable you to appreciate a mugger - who is actually more direct and upfront - in stealing your money! ;-)
This book is a must-read for any person who is planning to make a career in finance - the book will help him / her in understanding the practical situations and ethical calls that one is likely to take in this profession. Of course - as an ageing finance professional - if you just want to feel nostalgic about your last (or lost) job, you may as well give the book a dekko!
Do let me know your views on the book.
~GS
Naah... ~ Gautam :-)
Well - I never really appreciated the extent of value that I-bankers, traders, structured product developers and other such forms of life provide to the society. Sure - they bring in some sort of financial efficiency into the system by playing the broker in the business. Sure - they help you fulfill your dreams - not by a charity - but by a careful assessment of your "NPV". Sure - they help in de-risking your business by hedging / forex solutions. Sure - they play the middle-men in completion of a financial deal. But are the prime motivations for offering such services limited to "benefiting" the client / society? Can these professionals actually see if there is a "value erosion" in any of the above deals? And more importantly, will these people stop if they actually see a "value erosion" in any of the services... Erosions that can lead to a prolonged recession - as one we are witnessing today?
"Liar's Poker" by michael lewis answers the above questions, and dwells into more!
The book is a kind of story-cum-narration that takes you through the life of the author when he joined Solomon Brothers in early 1980s. The book starts with his initial days at the firm where he lands up as a fresh graduate with no taste of the corporate world. It then covers his orientation cum practical training session where he gradually lets go of his integrity, morals and ethics for that additional piece of bonus. There are certain interesting narratives where author explores his conundrum of making a choice between "higher bonus" or "letting down a customer who bets his life on your word". The gradual metamorphosis of the author into one of the highly successful employee of the firm, the political equations in such an environment, the sleaze-fests, its all there - the author has described, in goriest of details, all about the life of a Solomon trader (which incidentally many of us in fin professions can relate to)!
The book provides an interesting "insider view" of what went wrong in Solomon Brothers (in 1980s. His perspective on how the lure of a million dollar bonus leads people to chuck integrity, honesty and even common sense out of the window is quite interesting, pretty saddening and quite relevant now.
The book is a very good read, esp. in the current context. The book will make you appreciate how we landed up in the mess we are in! The entire information on what goes behind those office walls - how risky assets are bought at a pittance, how the inherent risks are bundled and sold off at exorbitant prices, and how the money thus earned in bonuses spent - will either make you abhor this profession (or absolutely love it - depending on your perspective of love the world or hate the world!). This book will also enable you to appreciate a mugger - who is actually more direct and upfront - in stealing your money! ;-)
This book is a must-read for any person who is planning to make a career in finance - the book will help him / her in understanding the practical situations and ethical calls that one is likely to take in this profession. Of course - as an ageing finance professional - if you just want to feel nostalgic about your last (or lost) job, you may as well give the book a dekko!
Do let me know your views on the book.
~GS
Naah... ~ Gautam :-)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Where have all the bond-men gone?
In times of an economic downturn - people move on from equities to the traditional and reliable Bond. A few movie producers envisioned this trend to be adopted even in Hollywood! Will all of us buy it again? Well - not quite.
The new bond movie"Quantum of Solace" is, well, hardly a solace in the long-parched Silver Screen. All good things that we know Bond 007 for - ultimate action sequences, style, glamor, (eye-candy babes!), the witty one-liner retorts, and why even the ever-green "martini - shaken, not stirred" dialog - these are all gone. Instead, what we get is a practical, sensitive, emotional, hard-working and a deglamorized hero. His wit, charm and charisma are now replaced by serious talk, hard-work, sincerity and all other good things that real life filmy heroes have. Why, for heavens sake, would I go to a Bond movie to see a 'real-life filmy hero' movie? Would not I just choose a "Bourne Identity", "Blood Diamond" or even a "Pursuit of Happyness" to see a more realistic and a practical filmy hero. Lets be clear here - Bond, since his inception, has always stood for witty, action-packed casanova on a world-saving mission. Well, you ain't getting a bit of that in this movie!
The basic plot is just one of the many problems that movie has. Unlike previous bond movies, where Bond saves the world from Korean missiles, Russian, and emerging Hitlers of Biological warfare, this movie has a plot relating to 'hoarding of water' (Now we know who to call when municipality acts tough in the supply of water!). That's right - the fight is over a stretch of land in Bolivia (about the size of Goa, just for your perspective!) which has around 60% of Bolivian water resource. And the Villian is planning a coup to become the 'chief water utility provider' in Bolivia. Looks like the quality of work for our Bond has also degraded in this recession - from preveting nuclear war-head takeovers to getting involved in political-business nexus fighting it out in a country as big as Goa! Well, one might optimistically opine that movie is quite futuristic as it shows water becoming a scarce resource (and Bond's job description now includes 'water security' way above nuclear warheads). Also, the movie is doing its bit in making the world aware of global warming and its effects. Well - nice perspective, I agree! But Al Gore's documentary was way better in highlighting those issues!
Now, about the Bond-girl. Sigh. The Villian kills her family when she was young. She needs to take revenge. Period. Wait - that sounds familiar. Isn't that what around 2.82 million films over the last decade in India were based on?
So - what we have is a 2 hour of docu-drama on how global warming and current recession is leading to selection of a water utility in Bolivia being the highest-priority item on Bond's list. Throw in a few "mujhe mere family ka badla chahiye" emotions and viola - you have a "Quantum of Solace".
Do watch this film if you hate the traditional Bond, and chances are that you might love this one. However, if you are one of those who feel - Where have all the good Bonds gone?, well, you would be needing a bit more than a 'Quantum of Solace' if you watch this movie!
Would be good to know what you think as well :-)
- GS
The new bond movie"Quantum of Solace" is, well, hardly a solace in the long-parched Silver Screen. All good things that we know Bond 007 for - ultimate action sequences, style, glamor, (eye-candy babes!), the witty one-liner retorts, and why even the ever-green "martini - shaken, not stirred" dialog - these are all gone. Instead, what we get is a practical, sensitive, emotional, hard-working and a deglamorized hero. His wit, charm and charisma are now replaced by serious talk, hard-work, sincerity and all other good things that real life filmy heroes have. Why, for heavens sake, would I go to a Bond movie to see a 'real-life filmy hero' movie? Would not I just choose a "Bourne Identity", "Blood Diamond" or even a "Pursuit of Happyness" to see a more realistic and a practical filmy hero. Lets be clear here - Bond, since his inception, has always stood for witty, action-packed casanova on a world-saving mission. Well, you ain't getting a bit of that in this movie!
The basic plot is just one of the many problems that movie has. Unlike previous bond movies, where Bond saves the world from Korean missiles, Russian, and emerging Hitlers of Biological warfare, this movie has a plot relating to 'hoarding of water' (Now we know who to call when municipality acts tough in the supply of water!). That's right - the fight is over a stretch of land in Bolivia (about the size of Goa, just for your perspective!) which has around 60% of Bolivian water resource. And the Villian is planning a coup to become the 'chief water utility provider' in Bolivia. Looks like the quality of work for our Bond has also degraded in this recession - from preveting nuclear war-head takeovers to getting involved in political-business nexus fighting it out in a country as big as Goa! Well, one might optimistically opine that movie is quite futuristic as it shows water becoming a scarce resource (and Bond's job description now includes 'water security' way above nuclear warheads). Also, the movie is doing its bit in making the world aware of global warming and its effects. Well - nice perspective, I agree! But Al Gore's documentary was way better in highlighting those issues!
Now, about the Bond-girl. Sigh. The Villian kills her family when she was young. She needs to take revenge. Period. Wait - that sounds familiar. Isn't that what around 2.82 million films over the last decade in India were based on?
So - what we have is a 2 hour of docu-drama on how global warming and current recession is leading to selection of a water utility in Bolivia being the highest-priority item on Bond's list. Throw in a few "mujhe mere family ka badla chahiye" emotions and viola - you have a "Quantum of Solace".
Do watch this film if you hate the traditional Bond, and chances are that you might love this one. However, if you are one of those who feel - Where have all the good Bonds gone?, well, you would be needing a bit more than a 'Quantum of Solace' if you watch this movie!
Would be good to know what you think as well :-)
- GS
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