Barbarians at the Gate (1993)

Barbarians and Buffoons rattling at the gates

Good film : Garner gives a remarkably convincing performance.
Screenplay is well structured and pungently critical of the corporate strategies displayed by all those drawn into the levered buyout game and gamble. October 22, 2007

An Entertaining Tool Applicable To Business.

This movie, based on a true story, chronicles the sale of RJR Nabisco during an era when Mergers and Acquisitions were at an all time high. James Garner, in a brilliant performance, plays F. Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco who wants to take Nabisco private and be its majority owner.

The movie does a nice job explaining the financial aspects of a LBO(Leveraged Buyout) on such a basic level that anyone can understand. Throughout the film the storyline flows quickly, although at times certain scenes were a little canned and the satire a bit corny.

The backdrop of the movie is loaded with back and forth backstabbing, blatant greed, under the table dealing, and Jonathan Pryce's depiction of Henry Kravis, a Wall Street mover and shaker and corporate raider is outstanding.

Of course by no means this work supersedes the book, but nevertheless you may find the effort quite entertaining.

Over all, I really enjoyed this movie.
September 1, 2007

Surprisingly good

I'm a big fan of Garner from way back, ever since he did "Support Your Local Sheriff," a low key but very funny spoof on western films from the early 70s, if I remember right. He seems like a down to earth guy whose big screen stardom never went to his head--much like Sean Connery--who certainly could have let such fame, money and stardom go to his head, too.

This movie chronicles the shenanigans surrounding a leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. You wouldn't think a corporate buyout would be that interesting a subject for a movie, but the movie succeeds on Garner's witty, cynical, repeatedly exasperated, and humorous portrayal of the company's CEO, although the rest of the cast is good too. The movie is also a reminder of the unbridled greed that swept the country in the 80s as hostile takeovers became the rage on Wall St., and it didn't matter how many people lost their jobs or their retirements as long as the takeover sharks got their cut.

As a result of these changes, as my fellow Top 100 reviewer, Jeff Leach, said previously in his much more detailed review, it's a lot harder for the average American to get and hold a job, and make a decent wage. And real wages (which is wages adjusted for inflation) have been declining in the U.S. since the late 60s--another dire trend which is unfortunately likely to continue as a result of competition from India and China, and our increasingly extravagant deficit spending. May 24, 2007

Doesn't do Justice to the book

An average movie with average performances. Glosses over many of the details in the book and ignores the role of many important characters. It wont appeal much to the general audience and neither will it satisfy the people who have already read the book. February 14, 2007

A great tell about LBOs

I really liked this movie. For those who like finance and are aware of the stress that it conveys, Barbarians At The Gate shows the intricacies of LBOs and also how every business has a strong emotional factor that is many times overlooked. January 12, 2007

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