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Too Big To Fail: Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: May 23, 2011
  • Season #: 1
Too Big To Fail Image
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: The financial crisis of 2008 is dramatized in the HBO adaptation of Andrew Ross Sorkin's book with an all-star cast that includes John Hurt as US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson; Cynthia Nixon as his assistant secretary; James Wood as the CEO of Lehman Brothers; Billy Crudup as the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and Paul Giamatti as Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve.… Expand
  • Genre(s): Drama

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. Boston Herald
    Reviewed by: Mark A. Perigard
    May 23, 2011
    91
    For a topic that sounds as dry as a fund prospectus, the acting and pacing is exceptional.
  2. Slate
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    May 24, 2011
    60
    Too Big To Fail adapted by director Curtis Hanson and screenwriter Peter Gould from a book by journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, is a decent movie with a stellar title.
  3. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Jaime N. Christley
    May 23, 2011
    12
    It's a strike against the film that a tiresome connect-the-dots summary of the major players and events is propped up with half-hearted attempts at suspense and ticking clocks and breathlessly watched congressional vote coverage, and rote scenes of actors barking into phones and delivering lines that writer Peter Gould probably wishes he got from the other Sorkin.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. MorriBey
    10
    Excellent . What more can i say. Truly riveting. Has to be seen. Whilst one may need some knowledge of financials the suspense can be enjoyed by all.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. coastalguy65
    10
    This is a supercharged look behind the wall of power as they try to grapple with the imminent collapse of the whole financial system. gripping tv and very interesting. the cast and actors are super. Fantastice tv programming!… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. MarcDoyle
    9
    What I thought would be a little dry turned out to be an absolutely thrilling account of one of the more critical behind-the-scenes events in American history. Exactly what Hank Paulson, Tim Geithner, Ben Bernanke, et al were engineering to prevent the worldwide financial system from melting down is fascinating. Billy Crudup and William Hurt are absolutely outstanding in this movie, as is Cynthia Nixon (surprisingly). Worth seeing in a big way. I might have to pick up Andrew Ross Sorkin's book on which this film is based.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes

See all 5 User Reviews

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