I worked as a loss mitigation negotiator in real estate during the mortgage crisis. I worked on behalf of borrowers who could not make their house payments. I eventually talked various banks into writing off mortgage debt. I helped a lot of people but couldn't make any money at it.
So I saw the movie knowing quite a bit about the mess of 2007-13. At the end of '13, the law allowing for the tax-free forgiveness of mortgage debt expired. Also, the market had recovered. The short sale market came to a whimpering stop.
Two elements of the crisis were left out of the movie.
First, the Clinton Administration made huge changes in the CRA that forced banks into essentially loaning money to anyone with a pulse. It was either lend money to people who couldn't pay it back or get federally screwed. Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac would buy just about anything.
Second, the biggest recipients of campaign contributions from Wall Street go to Democrats by a huge margin. This is true. The logic is simple. The GOP didn't want to give bail outs. But the Dems can always be counted on to give bailouts. It has been the case twice prior to the latest bail out.
No one was innocent except for the taxpayers who ended up paying for the bailouts. The bankers were greedy, the borrowers were dishonest, and the politicians were calculating.
Enjoy the movie. Just make sure you realize that much of the collapse is the fault of people like Clinton and Barney Frank.
Otherwise, the acting is good.
BTW, I hated dealing with BoA. Impossible to work with. They took so long with one sale that both of the borrowers died of old age. Wells Fargo not so bad. Neither was Chase.
So I saw the movie knowing quite a bit about the mess of 2007-13. At the end of '13, the law allowing for the tax-free forgiveness of mortgage debt expired. Also, the market had recovered. The short sale market came to a whimpering stop.
Two elements of the crisis were left out of the movie.
First, the Clinton Administration made huge changes in the CRA that forced banks into essentially loaning money to anyone with a pulse. It was either lend money to people who couldn't pay it back or get federally screwed. Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac would buy just about anything.
Second, the biggest recipients of campaign contributions from Wall Street go to Democrats by a huge margin. This is true. The logic is simple. The GOP didn't want to give bail outs. But the Dems can always be counted on to give bailouts. It has been the case twice prior to the latest bail out.
No one was innocent except for the taxpayers who ended up paying for the bailouts. The bankers were greedy, the borrowers were dishonest, and the politicians were calculating.
Enjoy the movie. Just make sure you realize that much of the collapse is the fault of people like Clinton and Barney Frank.
Otherwise, the acting is good.
BTW, I hated dealing with BoA. Impossible to work with. They took so long with one sale that both of the borrowers died of old age. Wells Fargo not so bad. Neither was Chase.