VillageVoiceNY

(2013-05-13 12:12:20)

Unraveled

In December of 2008, within days of Bernie Madoff's apprehension, NewYork attorney Marc Dreier was charged with eight counts of fraud andmoney laundering, bringing to light a scheme that had cheated lendersand clients of more than $700 million. Although a far cry from Madoff's$65 billion swindle, Dreier still earned a place in the growing hall ofcorporate shame. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was put underhouse arrest for the 60 days until sentencing, which is where Marc H.Simon's documentary comes in. The film bears witness to a tonypurgatory in which a $10 million Manhattan penthouse becomes ananteroom to a prison cell, and a onetime celebrity lawyer putter...Read the full review here:http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-04-11/film/unraveled-film-review/

garretsr

(2013-05-12 19:36:24)

Interesting, especially if you are a lawyer

I found this fascinating, but not fun. It was like watching a trainwreck. I may have been more interested because I am an attorney.Specifically, as a civil litigator who practiced as a CPA for yearsbefore becoming an attorney, I found the interaction between Drier andhis attorneys and consultants fascinating. Likewise, the level ofincompetence on the parts of others that was necessary for him to getaway with his scheme was just amazing.While watching Drier, the questions of "what was he thinking" and "whatis he thinking" are constantly in your mind. It's not clear whether heis remorseful or not. Drier clearly understands that what he did waswrong, but it is not clear that he is remorseful about anything exceptgetting caught.When you combine that with the post-conviction / pre-sentencing settingtime frame of the conversations, it is strange and fascinating. Some ofthe the things that Drier is concerned about make sense, while othersseem completely irrelevant given his circumstances.

paul2001sw-1

(2013-04-30 03:16:34)

The ego has landed...behind bars!

Multi million dollar white collar thief Marc Drier gets 80 minutes tojustify himself in this film, made in the run-up to his sentencing. Thefact that Drier stole a huge amount of money doesn't make himproportionately evil, but he comes across as a difficult man to like,someone whose sense of ego and self-entitlement might, you think, haveled him to commit any crime if the trade off of risk and reward wassufficiently large. Although the film is a kind of apology, an Drieraffects at honesty, what shines through is that this is a person whothinks altogether too much of himself to ever be truly socialised. Histwenty year sentence, which ends the film, was probably about right;but it's a bit of a stretch watching this film in which we getcontinuously exposed to Drier's special pleading without anyone who gothurt telling the other side of the story.

pazu7

(2013-04-29 13:28:09)

Not enthralling but informative.

For the first 30 minutes I didn't understand why this film had such lowratings. It develops nicely. But as it winds on I start to get it. MarkDrier is just not very interesting as a criminal, nor as a person. Heis insufficient as a protagonist or villain; neither an evilmustache-twirling Moriarty archetype, nor a contemporized Faustiantragedy who missteps his way to hell.Even at the height of his success, it was his wealth and thecelebrities with whom he associated, which made Drier noteworthy.Otherwise, he was a rather bland person. Shallow. Still is. And since,apart from a few informative segues, this film is based solely oninterviews with the accused, talking about his life and crimes from hisperspective, Unraveled begins to slow about 30 minutes in. And itcontinues to slow.But I am not rating the film for its entertainment value. I actuallythink it's an important film; entertaining only if you enjoydeconstructing narcissists enough to sit though 90 minutes offaux-humility and self-serving rationalizations. Drier exemplifies 'thebanality of evil'; the mundane presumptions at the heart of corruption.His contriteness is poorly worn. His shame, when occasionally voiced,is that he could ever have been so stupid to do this to 'himself'.Himself. Himself. Himself.Of course his family gets due mention, but at no point does he offerapology to any of his victims. His last target was to be a teacherspension fund, but he was caught in the act. He never says it outright,but it becomes clear that he just sees it all as a game he lost; seeshimself as some sort of Icarus on stolen wings. Everybody wants to fly,don't they? Don't you? And there it is, that constant refrain of themorally challenged; that, with the exception of the Saints, we're allvulnerable to excess... aren't we? - 'I am not so different from mostpeople… than you the viewer perhaps. If you only had the opportunity,would you not take it?' The good old 'I know I am but what are you?'defense.Of course this is all my interpretation. Drier is actually verymatter-of-fact and civil in his testimony. So much so that it getsrather boring. But listen to the words. Read between them. That's wherethe liar lurks.I have no sympathy for him. Or his children. They were rich. Nowthey'll have to tread water with the rest of us. What the film offersis a brief peek behind the curtains of a man who, if not for the extentand brazen nature of his crimes, no one should ever have heard of. Butthat's also what makes him so dangerous. Because there are so many moreMark Driers out there. And we never seem to catch them until they'vealready set the house aflame.Not an enthralling film but definitely an informative view.