About Too Big to Fail

"Too Big to Fail" is a 2011 biographical drama television film first broadcast on HBO. Directed by Curtis Hanson, the film is based on Andrew Ross Sorkin's non-fiction book 'Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System—and Themselves'. The film offers an in-depth look at the financial crisis of 2008 and the U.S. government's response to it. It depicts frantic efforts by the decision-makers to prevent the world economy from going off the cliff following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.

Making / Production

The film was made by HBO Films and produced by Representatives from HBO, Spring Creek Productions, and Deuce Three Productions. It is based on the bestselling book of Andrew Ross Sorkin which provided an in-depth account of the 2008 financial crisis. The film, directed by Curtis Hanson, tried to maintain authenticity and adapted much of the real-life events and dialogues from the incident.

Actors

• William Hurt as Henry Paulson: Portraying Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, Hurt convincingly embodied the stress and tension of the financial crisis.
• Paul Giamatti as Ben Bernanke: Giamatti plays the role of Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, with a grounded and nuanced performance.
• Billy Crudup as Timothy Geithner: Crudup shines in his role as President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
• James Woods as Dick Fuld: Woods portrays the CEO of Lehman Brothers, injecting humanity into a character who is at the center of the crisis.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film includes real-life dialogue from the 2008 financial crisis, drawn from Sorkin's book.
• The title "Too Big to Fail" refers to financial institutions seen as so large and interconnected that their failure would be disastrous for the economy as a whole.
• Although a TV film, "Too Big to Fail" features a star-studded cast more commonly seen in major Hollywood releases.

Awards

"Too Big to Fail" earned 11 nominations at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, and Paul Giamatti won the Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance.

Quotes

• "This is a street fight. It's a street fight, and you're not street fighters."
• "This doesn't feel fair."
• "I just don't see how we can fix this."

Music, Soundtrack

• The music for 'Too Big to Fail' was composed by Marcelo Zarvos, whose soundtrack aligns well with the film's tense atmosphere.
• The soundtrack includes original scores as well as existing tracks to underscore the gravity of the financial crisis.