Only in America……
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tabbycat — 10 years ago(February 09, 2016 11:21 PM)
I also did not appreciate the movie's not-too-subtle take on anyone who evicts people to be scum of the earth. They're doing a job, a legitimate but nasty one that has to be done. Rick was a crook who cheated people, yes. But that fat guy that gets in Dennis' face because he threw him out of his house calling Dennis an a$$hole? No, he's the a$$hole. I know someone who defaulted on his mortgage, then got years of free rent from the bank. Did he say thank you? Nope, everything was the bank's fault, nothing was his. In the end, he still felt entitled to "his" house. He wasn't.
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Chanpuru — 10 years ago(February 11, 2016 01:29 AM)
There's even a reference in the film to someone taking out an additional loan for a patio in their garden without the ability to pay it back. Michael Shannon said words to the effect of "They managed for 20 years without it but now they've got to have it even though they can't pay. And I'm the #sshole when they get evicted!?!?"
I couldn't help but agree with him. This movie was desperate for us to be sympathetic for those who were arrogant enough to be complicit in their own downfall. Weird. -
Howlin Wolf — 9 years ago(August 30, 2016 03:28 PM)
I think it was trying to show 'all sides' - but if you're going to do that, then you don't turn your realtor into a ruthless villain It's like it wanted to be realistic, but at the same time take things to an extreme to maximise drama. Pick a lane!
Did you not even feel sorry for the old guy, though? Especially since what was shown in the movie would NEVER happen to him? Hardcore!
"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!" -
motherfckzombies-261-668745 — 10 years ago(February 11, 2016 11:01 AM)
It's the hard times that's heartbreaking in this film. I truly felt a tough knot in my stomach when the old man was being evicted. When you're at that age and played by the rules your whole life, a level fairness if truly dueeven in an unfair and cruel world. I imagine if anyone in my family was in that position and it's heartbreaking.
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NoEasyBucketsBro — 10 years ago(February 16, 2016 09:54 PM)
I guess not everybody is mature enough to say we didn't pay our loans back in time, oh well, have our house and we'll go dump all of our possessions somewhere while we live in a motel. Most of the families getting evicted in the film were fighting until the last minute to keep their homes. They made mistakes and they paid for them, but the emotion is understandable. I hope none of us ever have to experience some guy in a suit telling you that your home is not yours anymore.
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Chanpuru — 10 years ago(February 17, 2016 12:56 PM)
But yet again you are positioning this as something that was done to these poor unsuspecting people. That's an assumption not born out by the narrative.
There were plenty of examples in the movie of people who had time, had choices, had opportunities. Yet they're shown deciding to say beep it I'm going to be stubborn and stay in this 3 bedroom mansion with a garden whilst not paying for it and steeling utilities from next door.
Where does it say in constitution that every man is entitled to live for free in a massive house that you don't own without repercussions? You're right about one thing (said sarcastically I guess)
I guess not everybody is mature enough to say we didn't pay our loans back in time -
JayCeezy — 10 years ago(February 29, 2016 07:20 PM)
Thank you for this, and for starting this thread. I was about to give up on this board until I saw this thread.
The story is compelling, I do feel sorry for the people losing their homes (not houses, HOMES!), and for the confusion the family members feel when the one responsible for making the payment EFFS up and the eviction starts for real.
But what struck me was that I didn't see anybody who took a loan, took the cash-out mortgage, took the second so they could build a patio they didn't need, NOONE, took responsibility. They took the money alright, but they denied they were responsible and deserved the consequences.
This story was Shakespearean,
where Rick Carver was the 'devil' and Dennis Nash made a 'deal-with-the-devil' in order to avoid his fate. Let's face it, Frank Greene is going to be right back there 90 days from now, not having a job and not having made a payment and his pro-bono lawyer who used a technicality to delay eviction is just prolonging the pain. Who suffers? The bank, the lender, the buyer, the neighbors, the lawyer who worked for free and accomplished nothing but another few months of rent-free living for people who can't support themselves.
Ugh.
I did like the movie very much for the first two acts, but the third act, where Dennis Nash 'lost it all' by buying the nicer house but losing his son and mother, having to lie and defraud a neighbor, and then burst the babytears and admit to lying at gunpoint, all while changing nothing in the outcome, was pretty thin. I was expecting much more, based on reviews and recommendations. The reviews now seem to be of the mindset of a high-school sophomore, a little wise, but a lot dumb. Feelings, but never having to make that mortgage payment or figure out that you need to save money and live beneath your means. -
Chanpuru — 10 years ago(March 01, 2016 02:16 AM)
See I'm not saying that the housing market doesn't have scams and that many involved aren't sharks, because they are. But what infuriated me about this film is that there wasn't a single character losing their house from defaulting on their loans who took any responsibility for their own actions.
This is the whole sub-prime market in a nutshell - bankers selling unrealistic mortgages to people who won't be able to pay back AND customers accepting unrealistic mortgages because they are greedy and don't care. Literally no one in this movie considered down sizing. Not one. They all saw it as their
right
to live in a massive property even if they couldn't pay the bills.
Madness -
Thought_Criminal_J62377 — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 08:23 AM)
whilst
Now I can guess your a Brit and have no right insulting America. I've never said anything negative about Brits except you Brits don't speak English very well. The things you do in your daily lives and your politics are none of my business, yet lots of foreigners run their big mouths about Americas business.
Tolerance Is Intolerant Of Politically Incorrect Thought -
Chanpuru — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 03:45 PM)
Why is every non-American excluded from commenting on American society when things such as the American sub-prime market dragged the entire world down? You need to stop being quite so insular and realise that stupid decisions made in America have broader repercussionsbut there we are again, using that naughty word
'repercussions'
.
I tell you what, I'll make you a deal as a representative of the rest of the planet earth (??) you guys promise to stop doing things that drag everyone else into the sh*t and I'll keep my nose out of your country's business. Deal? -
Thought_Criminal_J62377 — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 08:12 AM)
would a bunch of people in massive 3 bedroom houses but without an income, insist that they should be allowed to go without paying their loans. The sense of entitlement in this movie was shocking. There was literally a scene in this movie where a guy was stealing the power and water supply from the next house who said "I'm not a thief"?!?!
Most shocking of all the movie expects us to be sympathetic to everyone in the movie without even a single hint of responsibility.
Well obviously you're too arrogant and lacking in compassion to realize that these people may have lost their jobs due to bad economy, etc,. And I'm sick of the knee-jerk America bashing! I'd love to know your story and how you have any grounds to be doing so.
I do agree that the evictees had plenty of notice, but obviously Hollywood wanted it to appear like they had no idea they were scheduled for eviction.
Tolerance Is Intolerant Of Politically Incorrect Thought -
Chanpuru — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 03:24 PM)
So apparently I'm arrogant because I said that the film had a dubious theme that people shouldn't expect any repercussions to being unemployed, having no money and yet refusing to move out of their massive property even when they have defaulted on their mortgages??? What a bizarre child-like dream world you must live in.free of responsibilities and repercussions.
By the way you are
assuming
on the conditions for these people's financial situations. For all we know they could be fired for gross incompetence or be gamblers who went to Vegas and let it all ride. The film doesn't say and you've just decided to insert some bullsh*t. Most likely they are people living beyond their means and not considering the repercussions. That's wholly consistent with the narrative. There's even a tale told within the film of a couple taking out a massive loan that they couldn't pay back for a patio upgrade.you know.that essential item that people need to survive!!
Oh and you'd love to know my story? Well I am member of the human race who understands the adage
'There's no such thing as a free lunch'. -
Thought_Criminal_J62377 — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 04:20 PM)
I was wrong. You're right, but you should have blamed it on the script. This is not how real people act in that situation. Sure a small percentage may act like idiots, but they have plenty of warning it's coming which the movie doesn't depict and most people understand that they either pay their loans or they lose the possessions they haven't paid for yet.
I can't believe this movie has such a high rating. It takes a ridiculous amount of nerve to say "this is my home" when you haven't paid it off yet. This movie is flawed in so many ways and all for dramatic effect.
Tolerance Is Intolerant Of Politically Incorrect Thought -
Chanpuru — 10 years ago(March 31, 2016 04:35 PM)
It's difficult to weigh up the percentages.but my gut feeling says that the number of people living way beyond their means is probably far greater than the exception. I find that portrayal in the film worryingly believable. The story of the sub-prime fiasco is always told as if it was bankers selling mortgages they shouldn't have sold.it is seldom told as customers taking mortgages they shouldn't have taken.
As the phrase goes 'It takes two to tango'.