Rated: 14A
Starring: The intensely deep and dark Michael Shannon (has he EVER played a character who is just genuinely happy-go-lucky?!), giraffe-necked and weirdly-shaped-headed Andrew Garfield, nice and normal Laura Dern.
Plot: During the 2010 mortgage crisis, Dennis Nash (Garfield) finds himself, his son and his mother (Dern) turfed from their Florida family home which is in foreclosure. Desperate to provide for his family, he reluctantly accepts construction work from the real estate broker (Shannon) who was instrumental in Nash losing his home in the first place. As both work and money begin to pour in thanks to the misfortune of others, Nash starts to question his own ethics and values.
Tanya’s Verdict: If it sounds like it’s a dry and boring plot, rest assured that the performances and direction ensure it is anything but. Even my 13-year-old daughter became caught up in the events of 99 Homes and wanted to see it through to its conclusion. It depicts the black and white of good and bad as well as plenty of gray area which made for a riveting story. Plenty of small details regarding the ins and outs of mortgage situations and the laws and ethics involved are lost on me but I still got the gist of what was happening and enjoyed the film for what it was.