The Laundromat

Based on fictional examples and easy to understand for all viewers, The Laundromat is a colourful and entertaining excursion through corporate structures in tax havens. And exactly what the “Panama Papers” were, with lots of explanatory monologues addressed to the camera, linking the individual “stories” together. The film has no higher purpose than to explain and entertain, so viewers who are aware of the issue are left only with the pleasure of the wonderful cast’s acting, albeit in the form of slightly overdone caricature. (22.01.2020)

Sometimes I wonder if Steven Soderbergh would ever get out of this trend of mediocre movie production he’s been suffering from lately. The Laundromat isn’t really a bad movie. It isn’t a movie in traditional sense of the word, but two actors are telling you how America is proud of inventing money laundering and how it works. I think it really breaks the rules of a movie conception; a movie is something that should escalate and it should be enjoyable to watch to the end and its climax. Nothing is escalating in this movie, it’s just two actors talking in front of the camera about stories of those who invented money laundering. Sometimes it is funny and I would even say quite interesting, but mainly it comes across more as a documentary than a movie. (31.12.2019)

The movie strives to be a “kind of sequel of The Big Short", but this time about offshore and shell companies. The movie wants to “exaggeratedly shine a light" on the serious background practices that are difficult to understand for financial laypeople and that only a few people have an insight into but that have affected each of us. But it does not have such vigor and drive, nor does it capture the profit-seeking sophistication and interconnection of the system, nor the implications for the lives of specific people. It has good moments and there are storylines where it almost works as it should. But where the model could captivate even an unfamiliar viewer, Soderbergh fumbles and gets bogged down. Which is strange, as he has undoubtedly addressed a more accessible and tangible topic. What's worse is that the caricatural Oldman/Banderas duo make faces all the time (without any exaggeration, they are in the annoying mode of the naughty devil and the water goblin from The Watermill Princess). As the narrators, they give the film a completely different level and atmosphere than the rest of the actors. (20.10.2019)

A witty, apt and sarcastic Soderbergh film, backed as usual by excellent material. Probably not one of his best, but as a more colourful and cheerful variation of The Big Short, why not. After all, the law firm didn't cause the world crisis, it just funneled a few prominent wealthy people's money into tax havens, so there's no reason not to take it lightly and with humor. It is clear that this will be far from the realities of the average person, but for others, it’s like their bread and butter. (03.11.2019)

A 100% useful and non-violently educational and cautionary film – a feature documentary. Very entertainingly directed and superbly acted (Oldman, Banderas, Streep are exceptional). Probably won't be to everyone's taste, but I really enjoyed it and was positively gushing with viewer bliss during the last five minutes. (19.10.2019)