99 HOMES – The Review

Hello class, welcome to cinema economics 101. Before you start rolling your eyes, I should tell you that this isn’t about how producers raise the cash in order to fund your favorite flicks. No, we’re going to take a look at the latest entry in Hollywood’s flicks about finance: the very high ups and the low, low downs. This film joins the ranks of the WALL STREET series, with more than a passing nod to ARBITRAGE, GLENNGARY GLEN ROSS, and BOILER ROOM (and the soon to premiere THE BIG SHORT). Don’t be too concerned with the poster’s “based on real events” boast because it’s not about one incident, but an overall economic disaster that’s still affecting a whole lotta’ people. We’re talking the very recent housing boom and inevitable bust. How recent? Let’s turn the clock back just five years as we examine one’s man’s greedy desire to acquire, at any cost to those already living there, 99 HOMES.

The story begins on a particularly muggy Orlando, Florida afternoon in 2010, as real estate broker Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) must deal with an unexpected “problem” while evicting a family from their home. He’s pals with the local PD who aid in the “removals”. Meanwhile construction worker Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) has lost another gig, a shutdown just as the  house’s frame was set up. Frustrated, he returns to the family home her shares with his mother Lynn (Laura Dern) and preteen son Connor (Noah Lomax), whose mom is out of the picture. Soon Dennis is in court trying to save said home from the bank. After he’s given 90 days to pay up his debt, he begins a futile effort to get work. To his shock, Rick along with his work crew, and the police are on his doorstep with an eviction notice. Despite his pleads (his lawyer has the proper forms), Dennis and his mother and son are given two minutes to collect their things. After going to an extended stay motel ( a new home for many other displaced families), Dennis realizes some of his tools are missing. He finds Carver’s crew and confronts them just as they are to begin work on a house. When problems arise, Carver offers Dennis a cash job. The desperate man takes it, which leads to more work, and eventually an apprentice position with the ruthless broker. While keeping the nature of his work a secret from his family, Dennis hopes to earn enough cash to buy back their old digs. But at what cost to his soul?

The story could be called “The Seduction of Dennis Nash” since we’re seeing this world of despair and temptation through the eyes of this struggling single father. Garfield conveys his moral conflict with a subtle strength and proves that he’s so much more than a “web-slinger”. During his initial court appearance he lets us see the confusion and denial in his eyes and hesitant body language. It’s as if he’s saying, “I’m an honest, hard-working guy. This is not supposed to happen in the good ole’ US of A!”. Then when he’s kicked out, we witness his frustration and panic soon followed by helpless resignation and a feeling of failure, that he’s let everyone down. This leads to his quick descent into Carver’s world. During a powerful montage, we see the job eating away at him. He can’t help but feel the pain of all those displaced. The same can’t be said of his boss, who has expunged all empathy from his being. It’s the “show-ier”, more flamboyant role and the always interesting Mr. Shannon hits it out of the park. Like a vulture he swoops in on the unfortunate and desperate, but he’s also a deadly shark who must always keep moving,while devouring more and more. With his intimidating steely glare (the guy always looks P.O.’d!), Shannon turns this low rent southern Gordon Gekko into a true Mephisto, who dangles the keys to the good life in front of Dennis’s face. He’s got no attachment to anything, particularly these homes (“Nothin’ but boxes…just boxes”). When he gives a pep talk referring to Noah’s Ark, he becomes a memorable, devious bad guy who could actually live in any town. Dern provides the moral anchor to the story, as she tries to hide her desperation and confusion over being booted out of her long-time home. Still it’s tough to accept her now in a grandmother roles (in the last couple of years she went from being the mom of Shailene Woodley and Reese Witherspoon).

Director/co-writer Ramin Bahrani (AT ANY PRICE) has gotten some great work from that cast, but the script (done with Amir Naderi and Bahareh Azimi) ultimately stumbles in the film’s final half hour with a “macguffin” like bogus legal form which could destroy all of Carver’s schemes (kind of like that convenient level that blows up the lab in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN). This twist seems forced and plays like a plot device to bring along a big dramatic finale’. It’s a shame since the preceding hour or so plays like a true modern horror story. Once Dennis hops into bed (not literally) with Carver, despair and tragedy follows him at every turn. A scene where he ejects a confused, elderly man out of his home (“I got nobody”) will crush your heart like an eggshell. Despite the story flaws this is a must see for fans of Garfield and the enigmatic Shannon, so if you’re in the mood for a sobering tale (many times you may think “There for the grace of…”) then you should take a tour of 99 HOMES.

3.5 Out 5