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Too Big to Fail

Play trailer Poster for Too Big to Fail TV-14 2011 1h 38m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Financial leaders (William Hurt, Billy Crudup) spring into action when the U.S. economy falters in 2008.
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Too Big to Fail

Too Big to Fail

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Critics Consensus

Too Big to Fail has too sharp a script and superlative a cast to ever feel disposable, even when it teeters toward being an efficient explainer of recent history instead of a fully-realized drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Ed Cumming Daily Telegraph (UK) Sep 1, 2020
As a documentary, Too Big to Fail was excellent, with credible performances, a taut script and the expected HBO varnish. As a drama, its flaw was that for all the alpha male hubris on display, there was no redemptive suffering. Go to Full Review
Scott Tobias AV Club Jun 26, 2018
Without taking an partisan position on what happened... Too Big To Fail simply and clearly explicates a chilling moment in recent history. And for that, it has value. Go to Full Review
Alan Sepinwall Uproxx Jun 26, 2018
Takes a topic that could have felt like homework and turns it into effective entertainment - even if that entertainment might teach you something along the way. Go to Full Review
Phil Hogan Observer (UK) Sep 1, 2020
For a film shot in dimly lit offices inhabited by unattractively driven men in suits barking financial twaddle at one other, it was surprisingly involving. Go to Full Review
Jeremy Aspinall Radio Times Sep 1, 2020
3/5
The standout performance comes from Hurt, whose careworn Paulson is at the centre of the maelstrom that has had such a serious impact on the global economy. It's informative but gripping and scary, too. Go to Full Review
Mark A. Perigard Boston Herald Jun 26, 2018
As gripping as any episode of "24" in its heyday... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Johannes S @johnny_cecotto_15 Oct 17, 2026 Interesting film focusing on the regulatory side of the 2008 financial crisis. "The Big Short", "Margin Call", and "Too Big to Fail" unintentionally form quite a good trilogy on the subject. See more
S P @S1337 Sep 24, 2024 A good film to delve more in the tractations that happened during the market crash of 2008. Nothing spectacular but useful in addition to other films on the subject. See more
Tony S @RT22145614 Oct 29, 2023 This is the same story told in The Big Short and Inside Job, told from the perspective of the government officials involved in the great housing meltdown of 2008. Interesting movie. See more
steve d @RT35616104 Dec 12, 2022 Scary but interesting take on an important real-world event. See more
Clint C @RT89818351 Jun 3, 2022 Right now, more than ever, this is a good reminder that those in charge, are not those looking to make solutions. They want profit and will continue in history to sell a false reality to make more money and gain more power. If anything, this movie just continued to make me realize that you should use a Credit Union and never a national bank. See more
Jan 11, 2022 A fast-paced, exhilarating, and accurate recount of the events surrounding one of history's greatest financial meltdowns. What's more - the cast perfectly fit the real-world protagonists, a who's who list that includes Dick Fuld, Hank Paulson, and Ben Bernanke. See more
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Too Big to Fail

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Cast & Crew

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Curtis Hanson

Director

William Hurt

Henry Paulson

Ed Asner

Warren Buffett

Billy Crudup

Timothy Geithner

Paul Giamatti

Ben Bernanke

Topher Grace

Jim Wilkinson

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Too Big to Fail

Too Big to Fail (2011) Too Big to Fail (2011) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Financial leaders (William Hurt, Billy Crudup) spring into action when the U.S. economy falters in 2008.
Director
Curtis Hanson
Screenwriter
Peter Gould
Production Co
Spring Creek Productions, HBO Films, Home Box Office (HBO), Deuce Three Prods.
Rating
TV-14 (L|D)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
1h 38m
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