Movie review: 'Arbitrage' is a thriller with surprisingly few thrills

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Run Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, Rated R

Starring: Richard Gere, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Susan Sarandon,

Written & Directed by Nicholas Jarecki (feature-film directorial debut)

​The word “arbitrage” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the nearly simultaneous purchase and sale of securities or foreign exchange in different markets in order to profit from price discrepancies.” The film Arbitrage is just about as equally exciting as the definition.

In a role perfectly suited for him, Richard Gere plays Robert Miller, a big-wig corporate executive on the verge of a major buyout that will earn him millions. On the surface, Miller appears to be a perfect – perhaps too perfect – businessman, father and husband. His daughter (Brit Marling) and his wife (Susan Sarandon) seem very content in their lives within and outside of the business.

But on the sly, Miller has a secret mistress. Over-worked and full of stress, he falls asleep at the wheel with his girl in the car, and the result is a tragic occurrence. As any shady millionaire would do, he tries to cover up his mistake which leads to a cat and mouse game between Miller and the cop investigating the situation (Tim Roth).

The build-up to this climactic event is quite interesting, and any fan of corporate thrillers should be able to appreciate where it was trying to go. The major let-down of Arbitrage is how dull things get and remain for the length of the film after crap hits the fan.
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This may be one of the least thrilling thrillers of all time.