The Bank (2001)

The Bank is a low-key Australian thriller starring David Wenham as the brilliant chaos-theory mathematician who is hired to direct the financial war room and ultimately to implement the increasingly nefarious machinations of Anthony LaPaglia as the chief executive of a megabank. Sibylla Budd is the love interest to Wenham's character though he is smart enough to suspect that she may be a plant -- an intentionally placed spy for his boss. (Is she or isn't she?) The Bank has a couple good twists at the end that proved satisfying. Wenham (Faramir in The Lord of the Rings) is no Brad Pitt but he is a likeable and suitably adequate actor. This movie is recommended if you like math (or a reasonable facsimile), Australian films, or a fictional version of a documentary such as Inside Job. In fact, The Bank is quite topical and prescient as far as contemporary scandals about predatory banking practices go. It reminds me more of the understated Enigma than the glossy Wall Street 2 but, sure enough, the central message is that greed is standard operating procedure in the brave new world of high finance -- and so it may take an even more intelligent and dedicated artist to right the wrongs. I had to rent this movie from a competing service since it has been a Save title here indefinitely. 3.5 stars.