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Parents' Guide to

Arbitrage

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Intelligent, grown-up thriller has some violence, drugs.

Movie R 2012 100 minutes
Arbitrage Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

bestdadever
bestdadever Parent of 14 and 17-year-old
October 1, 2012
age 14+

Amazing Movie, Great for teens.

It is a little violent, but it has a great story. I think most teens should be able to handle this amazing thriller. I saw it with my two sons, one is 14, the other is 17 and both of them really enjoyed it. The review above is incorrect since there is virtually no sex other than implied sex.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Hedge fund tycoon Robert Miller (Richard Gere) has made some bad deals and is secretly trying to sell his company before it goes under. He desperately doesn't want his wife (Susan Sarandon) or his daughter, Brooke (Brit Marling) -- who works for him -- knowing about the trouble. After work, he goes to see his mistress (Laetitia Casta), who dies in a horrible car crash when Robert falls asleep at the wheel. He decides to leave the scene, hoping to avoid any more negative attention. But a relentless police detective (Tim Roth) has Miller pegged and seems determined to try anything to get a conviction. Meanwhile, Miller's entire defense hinges on a young man named Jimmy (Nate Parker), who has yet another secret connection to Miller.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Writer/director Nicholas Jarecki makes his feature debut with this refreshing movie, a combination of intelligent, grown-up writing and entertaining, audience-pleasing filmmaking. ARBITRAGE focuses on well-drawn, mature characters making emotionally truthful decisions, but at the same time, they face some very tense, larger-than-life situations. Oddly, most of the scenes are built around character interactions; there are only a handful of "thrill" moments.

This allows for very intense, focused performances, especially by Gere as the tormented lead, but also by Sarandon as his wise wife. Up-and-comer Marling has a few powerful scenes with Gere, challenging his authority, and Roth is relentless and ferocious as the detective. The movie's main drawback, however, is that it feels like it could have gone further in either direction; it might have benefited from either more depth or more thrills.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Arbitrage's violent events. Which feels more intense -- the car crash sequence or the scenes in which Detective Bryer confronts the main character? Why?

  • Is Robert Miller right to hide his activities and problems from his family? Could they have helped? Should families tell each other everything?

  • Are there any role models in this movie? Why would we root for Robert Miller when he's made so many bad choices?

  • What does this movie have to say about the current financial crisis?

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