Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

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Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room ★★★½ 2005

Based on the book by Fortune magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind. Director Gibney deftly compiles vast amounts of in-house video and audio footage along with after-the-fact interviews and Congressional hearings chronicling the devastating downfall in 2001 of corporate behemoth Enron. An engaging, thorough, and coherent profile of the hustle created by chief executives Kenneth Lay, Jeffrey Skilling, and Andy Fastow and the resulting economic destruction, from the loss of 20,000 jobs and $2 million in employee pensions to the $30 billion cost of California's energy crisis. Matter-of-fact narration by Peter Coyote contrasts well with sly use of several pop music songs. 110m/C DVD . USD: Alex Gibney; W: Alex Gibney; C: Maryse Albert; M: Matt Hauser. Ind. Spirit '06: Feature Doc.; Writers Guild '05: Feature Doc.