"Barbarians at the Gate" focuses on KKR's leveraged buyout of RJR-Nabisco in 1988-89. The movie does everything to a tee. James Garner plays Ross Johnson, the smooth-talking RJR executive. His affable demeanor and joke-telling affinity hides Machiavellian schemes, and all the while he really just likes his company's perks. Jonathan Pryce was practically born to play Henry Kravis: Pryce's devilish physiognomy perfectly represents what sort of a person this is.
A particularly effective scene is when the executives are flying in their corporate jets side by side, conversing with each other on their cell phones while servants prepare them drinks. It's the ultimate display of greed.
All in all, the whole thing captures what the '80s were all about, all the while managing to be humorous. It should come as no surprise that the first decade of the 21st century (The Aughts? The Noughts?) saw things like Enron. Perfect.
Also starring Joanna Cassidy (Dolores in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and Brenda's mom on "Six Feet Under"), former presidential candidate Fred Thompson, Jeffrey DeMunn and Peter Riegert (Boone in "Animal House").
A particularly effective scene is when the executives are flying in their corporate jets side by side, conversing with each other on their cell phones while servants prepare them drinks. It's the ultimate display of greed.
All in all, the whole thing captures what the '80s were all about, all the while managing to be humorous. It should come as no surprise that the first decade of the 21st century (The Aughts? The Noughts?) saw things like Enron. Perfect.
Also starring Joanna Cassidy (Dolores in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and Brenda's mom on "Six Feet Under"), former presidential candidate Fred Thompson, Jeffrey DeMunn and Peter Riegert (Boone in "Animal House").