Equity

Name: Equity
Genre: Drama
Released: July 29, 2016
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Alysia Reiner, Anna Gunn, Craig Bierko, James Purefoy, Margaret Colin

2016

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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Equity

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: July 29, 2016 | R

Starring: Alysia Reiner, Anna Gunn, Craig Bierko, James Purefoy, Margaret Colin, Nate Corddry, Sarah Megan Thomas

Summary: When Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn) is passed over for a promotion at her firm, she fights for the opportunity to take a start-up public, hoping this promising IPO will secure her a place at the firm’s highest level. But when an employee at the start-up raises questions about a possible crack in the company’s walls, NaomiWhen Senior investment banker Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn) is passed over for a promotion at her firm, she fights for the opportunity to take a start-up public, hoping this promising IPO will secure her a place at the firm’s highest level. But when an employee at the start-up raises questions about a possible crack in the company’s walls, Naomi must decide whether to investigate rumors that may compromise the deal, or push forward with the confidence her superiors expect. [Sony Pictures Classics]… Expand

Director: Meera Menon

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 100 min

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Critic Reviews

A.O. Scott

Jul 28, 2016

Equity pulls off a difficult balancing act with an elegance that should not be underestimated. It turns its unflappable gaze on a maddeningly complex reality and transforms it into a swift, clear and exciting story. Read full review

The Guardian Jordan Hoffman

Jan 29, 2016

Equity takes us inside modern Wall Street in a unique and gripping manner. Read full review

Moira Macdonald

Aug 25, 2016

It’s fun to watch Samantha playing her sources like a teenager plays a video game — expertly, offhandedly — and fascinating to witness the machinations between Naomi and Erin, neither of whom ever tells the other what she’s thinking. Read full review

Sheri Linden

Jul 28, 2016

The screenplay by Amy Fox is mechanical, the plot more contrived than charged under Meera Menon’s lackluster direction. But as a study of endurance and self-preservation in the face of persistent double standards, the movie clicks. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Jul 29, 2016

What makes Equity such a vital feminist film, even when its other qualities are often few and far between, is how defiantly it internalizes that idea. Read full review

The Film Stage Ed Frankl

May 20, 2016

Equity is more nuanced, if not as ferociously confidant as that 1987 Oliver Stone film, here focusing on the nitty gritty of a market launch of a social media-style security company. Read full review

Amy Rowe

Jul 27, 2016

The always strong Gunn does her best with the very familiar, quickly paced storyline. Read full review

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User Reviews

Sometimecritic

Aug 15, 2016

If you are a woman in a male dominated industry this movie is confirmation of what continues to exist. The ole boy network & the undermining of female colleagues, one can hope movies like this will eventually bring consciousness to the men & support among women in corporate America. ThisIf you are a woman in a male dominated industry this movie is confirmation of what continues to exist. The ole boy network & the undermining of female colleagues, one can hope movies like this will eventually bring consciousness to the men & support among women in corporate America. This movie had women talking & men in disbelief. Unfortunately, I had to drive a distance to see this film & I live in Maryland where there are a lot of females in high ranking positions; disservice to the film. Just another reality, a female produced, directed & leading role film that Hollywood decided not to back. I think the movie could have ended better with some vindication verses the typical.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

geewah

Jan 5, 2021

A well written and taut script that delivers in telling the story of feminism and Wall Street. Entertaining.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

skeptic303

Sep 20, 2016

Equity follows women in wall street who do their very best to ensure the success of a start-up company they want to take public. While it is well made and has a great conflict at its disposal, its plot seems to go off on tangents and can't quite develop its characters as much as it wouldEquity follows women in wall street who do their very best to ensure the success of a start-up company they want to take public. While it is well made and has a great conflict at its disposal, its plot seems to go off on tangents and can't quite develop its characters as much as it would like. I would also like to add that I was more interested in this film when it focused on the start-up company's opening day, which happens late in the film. Narrative missteps like these may have weighed it down, but I still enjoyed this film in respect to much of the running time and the music, which I happened to love. I'll grant it a seal of acknowledgement.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

LeZee

Dec 24, 2016

It's a men's club or women's, but jobs are done in the same way.

It's a woman oriented financial film drama directed by a woman filmmaker. That makes it empowered by women. On the perspective it was my first experience, so I think it could be the only of its kind. It is not as bad as itIt's a men's club or women's, but jobs are done in the same way.

It's a woman oriented financial film drama directed by a woman filmmaker. That makes it empowered by women. On the perspective it was my first experience, so I think it could be the only of its kind. It is not as bad as it looks, those who liked financial related films like 'Margin Call', 'The Big Short', 'Glengarry Glen Ross' et cetera would enjoy it as well. This film stayed true to its title, so that's what you are going to expect, but nothing a bit more than that.

There are unexpected turns in the narration. Particularly the characters, that too the females. It is about the commitment and trust in the colleagues. No matter what you do, the company always judges you by your result. The pace might look slow, but it gets better in the latter half. The film turned into kind of thriller and ended with a little drag, though satisfying.

Anna Gunn was so good and looks like we have here another talented woman director Meera Menon. This film did not get as popular as its counterpart on the same theme, I mean men's Wall Street thriller. But somewhat I liked it and seems a sequel is not a bad idea, after how this story had ended. Finally, this is for the selected viewers, so those who are from the outside of its bandwidth won't end watching it happy, hence the film will lose its rating, but not the quality.

6/10… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Spangle

Jan 13, 2017

Equity feels like a debut from director Meera Menon and though it is not, it does still highlight a certain rawness. The characters are there. The themes are there. The story is there. Yet, it does not all come together. It feels agonizingly close, but perhaps with her next feature, MenonEquity feels like a debut from director Meera Menon and though it is not, it does still highlight a certain rawness. The characters are there. The themes are there. The story is there. Yet, it does not all come together. It feels agonizingly close, but perhaps with her next feature, Menon will be able to put the whole puzzle together. As is stands, Equity is an average financial thriller with themes that are far too on the nose and in your face for the film to be both a successful financial thriller and feminist success story. In fact, it almost feels like these two facets of the film are fighting against one another, struggling to see which one will be the center of attention.

The financial thriller element of the film could use some work, but is intriguing. For such a complicated world, Menon does not offer any explanation to the viewer as to what is occurring. Compared to successful financial-based thrillers in recent years such as The Wolf of Wall Street or The Big Short, Equity is a bit confusing. Yet, it is largely about insider trading surrounding the launch of a new IPO. Being handled by an underwriter (whatever that is) portrayed by Anna Gunn, the launch is filled with controversy and tension. The film has a slow build-up, however, and this is another detriment. While the film's complex build-up has a decent enough pay-off, it takes far too long to actually get to the point. That said, the tension is well earned and the film does really ramp up the intrigue towards the end, even if the reason everything blows up really does not work and conflicts with theme of the film. However, I will get into that soon. As a film, it feels stretched too thin and the plot could have been handled a bit quicker and instead, it adds in filler to make it longer. Fortunately, a solid ending does help me to look past some of its missteps in the beginning.

Thematically, the film is about women in a boys club environment. Aiming for empowerment and showing that women can be just as greedy and cutthroat as the men, the film is most successful. Naomi Bishop (Gunn) is a **** She is unlikable, through and through. If she was a man, she would be just as easy to hate. It is not because of her greed, but rather her self-assured and belief that she knows better than anybody else in the room. Her VP, Erin Manning (Sarah Megan Thomas), wants a promotion. However, Naomi leads her on for years and Erin is done. As such, she leaks bad information about the IPO to have it tank and embarrass Naomi to the point she may be fired. Along the way, Erin tells her boyfriend and Naomi to not "tell me I what I need", even to innocent suggestions by the former to get some more sleep. It is these little feminist dialogue elements that quickly become intolerable. I am a feminist, but this film just smacks of being so in your face with its themes that it is incapable of stopping to actually craft dialogue that is not derived from some third wave feminist blog where all men are evil pigs. This really is shown by all men in the film being characterized as anti-female, philanderers, and using women for their own gain. The women, meanwhile, are treated with kid gloves. Naomi is a **** Yet, Menon asks us to forgive her and see how hard she works, only for Erin to cut her throat. However, Naomi asks for it by being abrasive in meetings while Erin is more personable and capable of actually explaining things. Instead, Naomi sits in her high chair and throws a fit when challenged. Thus, though she is characterized seemingly negatively, we are expected to sympathize with her when she throws fits that she herself is not promoted.

However, the characterizations are hardly the biggest issue here because as mentioned, a lot of the script is jut amateurish soapbox monologues. The very close of the film features this with a speech about how women can want money too without needing other reasons. This is true. No arguments. Yet, this on the nose dialogue is just not subtle. A better filmmaker and screenwriter would find a way to develop this theme without needing the characters to just blurt out what the writers want to communicate via the film. This is really my biggest issue with the film.

Now, as the rating may suggest, this review is quite overly harsh. The acting across the board is great from actors typically tasked with smaller roles. Anna Gunn and company transition terrifically into more leading roles and make the most of the screentime. The film is also capably directed for the most part, especially towards the end which is thrilling, suspenseful, and intense in its portrayal of the IPO launch. Though the build-up is slow as mentioned, it is pretty engrossing and compelling as we get dumped in the middle of this crazy, hectic, and demanding world. Unfortunately, bad dialogue, awkward characterization, and a slow beginning detract from an otherwise solid financial thriller.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

iTheViewer

Aug 14, 2016

Wall Street movies are one my favorite genres, and I was really looking forward to this, but it's just a bad movie. I see those favorable critics reviews over there on the left, but you might notice that most of them mention something about women on Wall Street. If you're looking for aWall Street movies are one my favorite genres, and I was really looking forward to this, but it's just a bad movie. I see those favorable critics reviews over there on the left, but you might notice that most of them mention something about women on Wall Street. If you're looking for a supportive tale about women on Wall Street maybe you will find some affirmation, but no one will be entertained by this movie. It is a dud on so many levels. There is no sparkling dialogue or acting. Neither the writer nor the director seem to know how to create suspense or excitement. There are no peaks into how Wall Street works that aren't already widely known. The fashion and styling is not much more than middle class. The smallish homes of these powerful Wall Street execs were furnished from the Pottery Barn. Despite the fact we see Anna Gunn frequently sweating over punching bags, she is obviously not in good shape. Does all this sound petty? It's because there's nothing much more to say about this completely uninspired movie. You have been warned, you will be bored.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Dredwords

Jun 25, 2017

Equity- for whites only. How is it possible that all the writers, producers, directors and actors in this movie are really this obtuse? Did they did not notice that every single person in the cast of a movie called "Equity" is white? Do they really believe that white people live in aEquity- for whites only. How is it possible that all the writers, producers, directors and actors in this movie are really this obtuse? Did they did not notice that every single person in the cast of a movie called "Equity" is white? Do they really believe that white people live in a bubble unconnected to any black or brown people? Do they believe that feminism is not necessarily anti-racist? Do they know enough about feminism to even answer that question? One thing this movie does demonstrate is the limitations on one's worldview and creative capacity caused by white privilege. An utter bore.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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