The Capitalist is about a war profiteer, his relationships, and the issues that he causes for a series of other individuals. But, more importantly, it’s about the human psyche and how we can only be pushed so far before we go over the edge. James Stein (Danny Cymbal) has high hopes for himself–a girlfriend, a good job, and other wonderful things that will likely lend themselves to a happy and healthy life. But James finds himself struggling for a number of reasons–and The Capitalist, written and directed by Ray Soltani, explores how these things affect him internally and externally.
The Capitalist begins with a flashforward to the most important scene of the entire production. Soltani gives everything away in the first few minutes, and, in theory, there’s nothing for viewers to look forward to. Soltani, however, does a wonderful job of developing the “why” of the film. He creates a narrative that, while we already know where it leads, invites us to understand why everything is occurring and why the film ultimately leads to where we already know. The opening sequence is extreme and completely insane, and viewers feel compelled to know how certain characters get to that point. Furthermore, I’m not sure that the narrative would have been intriguing enough to drive the film without a glimpse into the future. Knowing this, it’s clear that Soltani fully understood how to develop The Capitalist long before it came to be.
The acting present in The Capitalist is subpar (for the most part). The majority of the actors struggle to effectively convey emotion throughout the course of the film–but as the film progressed, it seemed to me that the acting was poorly done intentionally. The Capitalist is meant to be a dark, subtle comedy–and it seems that the less-than-adequate acting may have been used as a ploy to develop comedy throughout the film. In addition to the relationship between the comedy and the acting, there is a point toward the end of the film where there is a gauge that appears on screen used to measure James’ character development (and it becomes clear that it’s being used to measure something else as well). As the gauge nears one-hundred percent, Cymbal’s acting changes as well. He becomes relevantly emotional, passionate, and truly brilliant. The parallel between James’ development and Cymbal’s is perfect, and whether developed by Soltani or Cymbal himself, it works wonderfully in the grand scheme of The Capitalist.
There’s sort of a “whodunit?” vibe present throughout The Capitalist. While that’s not really the theme or the intention behind the film, it exists nonetheless. There are a series of twists and turns that beg viewers to question who will betray someone next. I’m not sure that the pacing of this narrative is enough to keep viewers entertained or intrigued–but it’s enough to remind viewers that they are headed somewhere, and that the payoff is likely worth the journey.
I’m conflicted in regard to how I feel about The Capitalist. On one hand the narrative is a bit too slow, and it takes some patience in order to navigate it–but on the other hand, the brilliant decision to place the film’s denouement at the start of the film invites viewers in early and allows them to remain present throughout the narrative. Soltani sets The Capitalist up for success early, and he ensures that nothing will stop that from being the case. Everything comes down to the decisions that Soltani makes–as it’s those reasons that allow viewers to enjoy The Capitalist.
Written & Directed by Ray Soltani.
Starring Danny Cymbal, Daniel Berkey, Dan Johnson, Britt Bachman, Caroline Parsons, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
