Rogue Trader (1999) by James Dearden
starring Ewan McGregor



In a nutshell: Low production quality, but an interesting story if you are at all into the world of finance. :fresh: :rotten:

Quick synopsis: Nick Leeson starts gambling on the market with the firm's money. This spiral out of control quickly.

Content: Rogue Trader....where to begin. First of all, the movie has the unmistakable air of a made-for-tv flick. I'm really not sure whether it was or not, but it feels that way, just as it feels very late 80's/early 90's despite the fact that it was released in 1999. The most legit thing about Rogue Trader is its very legitimate star, Ewan McGregor. Sidetracking for a moment, I find Mr. McGregor to be one of the most enigmatic Hollywood leading men. He clearly can act as he proved in Trainspotting. But let's just say that he didn't exactly help the disasters that were Star Wars Episodes I & II. Then in Big Fish, he leaves me confused because I don't love his acting, but it kind of fits into the surreal style. Anyhoe my point is that seeing his name atop a movie poster doesn't exactly get me excited these days.

Back to Rogue Trader. I'm afraid that Ewan was slightly miscast although the real reason it feels off is that the film takes an odd attitude towards Mr. Leeson. It seems to frame him a a tragic hero of sorts. It frames the night he spent in a Singaporean prison as a goofy escapade, which it most likely was not. It recreates Leeson's pivotal decisions that led him down dangerous roads in annoying ways, contriving conversations in which he makes his choice, when in reality they were probably made while sitting alone in his office.

The story itself certainly is a fascinating one, but I am guessing that anyone who would actually be interested in it would probably read the much more detailed book. People who care will want more details, and people who don't would rather watch a story a little less dependent on convoluted capital markets in Asia. This leaves Rogue Trader in an odd bit of limbo.

The worst thing about this movie is downright inexcusable. Leeson's Asian sidekick is a caricature and there's no denying it. He really represents everything wrong with Rogue Trader.

In all, I took something positive away from Rogue Trader because I am interested in the story (because of my profession) and haven't yet had the time to read the book. But unless you are in a similar circumstance, I'd probably recommend staying away.

Rolling Top 10:
1. Field of Dreams (#115) :fresh: :fresh: :fresh:
2. The Big Lebowski (#117) :fresh: :fresh: :fresh:
3. Gladiator (#120) :fresh: :fresh:
4. Elf (#122) :fresh: :fresh:
5. Alpha Dog (#119) :fresh:
6. Sex and the City (#118) :fresh:
7. Paradise Lost (#116) :fresh:
8. The Bank Job (#114) :fresh:
9. Rogue Trader (#123) :fresh: :rotten:
10. Wonderland (#121) :rotten:

key:
:fresh: :fresh: :fresh: masterpiece
:fresh: :fresh: excellent
:fresh: good
:fresh: :rotten: mixed bag
:rotten: more bad than good
:rotten: :rotten: garbage