This movie's subject matter is timely and the movie even makes an attempt, in the end, to understand how various competing interests come together in a deal. To get there though, you'll have to wade through fake Russian accents, a fake Arab country and fake due diligence conversations. The deal of the movie concerns an oil bootlegger circumventing a US government embargo. There is drama in the oil-for-food scandal and maybe even a plot for a movie, but this movie is not it.
That is to say, the movie's primary flaw is that the script is only a draft and while the idea has potential, the script needed several more revisions. There are other problems too: actors didn't get sufficient direction and the editing is sporadic at times. I had no problem with the casting. Colm Feore and Robert Loggia turn in good performances.
Hollywood has a lot of difficulty making movies about business and the few that get made usually become morality plays about greed. This movie is not really an exception - but at least here, not all the corporate suits are bad guys. I watched The Deal to the end and can say I enjoyed it, if only because it tries to deal intelligently with issues most movies ignore.
That is to say, the movie's primary flaw is that the script is only a draft and while the idea has potential, the script needed several more revisions. There are other problems too: actors didn't get sufficient direction and the editing is sporadic at times. I had no problem with the casting. Colm Feore and Robert Loggia turn in good performances.
Hollywood has a lot of difficulty making movies about business and the few that get made usually become morality plays about greed. This movie is not really an exception - but at least here, not all the corporate suits are bad guys. I watched The Deal to the end and can say I enjoyed it, if only because it tries to deal intelligently with issues most movies ignore.