Norman Oppenheimer (Richard Gere) is very pushy. And he’s a chancer too who just loves trying to make big financial ‘deals’ that are usually way out of his league, and with high flyers whose P.A.’s even refuse to return his calls. This new movie that charters Norman’s rise and fall throws us into the deep end at the very beginning with the grey haired Norman trying to schmooze his way into some complicated scheme, which we never quite understand. It’s all a little like the man himself who is turned out neatly in a smart camel coat, but still seems to actually have no home, office or income that we are ever made aware off. Even the real reason for his insistence in trying to induce reluctant financiers to partake in his latest plans are vague, and it seems more for the power it may give him than any possible financial rewards.
He usually works from his cellphone in the streets and in Starbucks where he hands out his business cards which say Oppenheimer Strategies to anyone he feels may be useful. One day however when he is badgering Israel’s Deputy Minister of Trade Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi) he captures the young politician’s interest by boasting of friendships he doesn’t have, and then sealing the deal by buying Eshel an expensive pair of shoes as a gift that he can ill-afford.
Norman thinks his investment hasn’t paid off when Eshel then fails to show up at the exclusive dinner party that Norman has finagled invitations too. However three years later, that all changes when Eshel is back in N.Y. again but this time as the new Prime Minister of Israel. When Eshel public embraces Norman and gushes over him declaring that he is an ‘old friend’, suddenly Norman is being courted by an endless stream of major industrialists and financiers desperate to get an introduction and curry favors from the new P.M.
Norman who declares ‘for once I’ve back the right horse’ is suddenly overwhelmed by being the center of so much attention and he is totally out of his depth with the whole realm of possible schemes he could get involved. However as the P.M.’s minders are not as keen on the opportunistic Norman as their boss is, they severely limit his personal contact making it nigh on impossible for Norman to close on any deal. A chance meeting with Alex (Charlotte Gainsbourg) a lawyer in the Israeli Embassy completely backfires after he brags too much of how tight he is with Eschel, so much so that it almost ends his premiership.
Whilst he is trying to portray himself as Eschel’s favorite NY Jewish friend, Norman is also trying to position himself as the savior of his local synagogue which is being threatened with demolition and he has somehow managed to convince the Rabbi (Steve Buscemi) that he can raise the necessary $14 million. Like nearly all of Norman’s grandiose scheme’s there is very little grounds to think he will ever be able to pull it off, and that he will fall flat on his face again.
Gere who hasn’t played the central role in a movie for a few years now, is in his element as the thick-skinned optimist who is always the only one person who actually believes in his potential to finally make the deal of his lifetime. There is no hint at all if he has ever had any success in business or in his personal life, but that doesn’t seem to deter him even when every single door is slammed in his face. We feel sorry for him, and even though his methods and approach are wince-making embarrassing, Gere imbues Norman with such charm , and underlined with sadness that we cannot help but rout for him every inch of the way.
This very entertaining NY drama was written and directed by Joseph Cedar and the impressive and talented supporting cast also includes Michael Sheen, Dan Stevens, and Hank Azaria, but this is very much Gere’s picture, and its great seeing him back in the limelight again.
