The Rewatchables: ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman

Published 2022-09-20; 1:33:59 by the feed.

As extracted (engineer-sonnet-2026-10-13)

The extraction calls the show “The Rewatchables (The Ringer)” and the episode “'Margin Call' With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman”.

Hosts: Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo. Guests: Brian Koppelman, Craig Horlbeck (producer, at the end).

Subject films: Margin Call (2011).

On the transcript: No speaker labels; Russillo's name is mangled throughout. Dollar figures and numbers frequently garbled.

Added from the extractor's memory, not said

Character names (Sam Rogers, Peter Sullivan, Will Emerson, John Tuld, Jared Cohen, Eric Dale) and corrected spellings of Asif Mandvi, Mary McDonnell, Billy Crudup, Michael Burry are from memory or inferred from mangled transcript; 'Goldman' bank is as the speakers say.

Awards and segments (76)

Double feature

pick The Wolf of Wall Street: Koppelman offers it as one of two pairings, a Wall Street story that sits next to Margin Call.
“Either wolf of Wall Street or sweet smell of success.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:23:57
pick Sweet Smell of Success: Koppelman's other pairing, offered in the same breath as the Wolf of Wall Street.
“Either wolf of Wall Street or sweet smell of success.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:23:57
pick Bright Lights, Big City: Russillo answers with this one, and Bill reacts to it as a good, anniversary-timed pick.
“Bright lights, big city.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:24:02
pick Wall Street: Bill says it is a fun mix with Margin Call, a totally different movie that complements it.
“I think Wall Street's a fun mix with this and a totally different movie and yet compliments it.”
Bill Simmons · 1:24:13

Most rewatchable scene

pick Eric Dale gets laid off, Bettany says goodbye with the shoulder slap and hands him the zip drive.
“Eric Dale gets laid off. Betney says goodbye, shoulder slap, gives them the zip drive, be careful.”
Bill Simmons · 0:37:24
pick Bettany explains the model to Spacey after Quinto and Badgley summon him, and Spacey slowly realizes what it means.
“The, uh, Bettany explaining the model to Spacey after Kinto and Badgley have kind of summoned him in. And Spacey slowly realizing what it means.”
Bill Simmons · 0:38:08
pick Bettany on the balcony: the fear of falling is really the fear that you might jump, then the math on how his money went.
“This is probably the best betting scene of his career is on a balcony.”
Bill Simmons · 0:39:10
pick Irons's first scene, the speech about the music about to stop and the biggest bag of odorous excrement.
“have the 1st iron scene.”
Bill Simmons · 0:42:55
pick Irons versus Spacey, part one: Spacey pushes back on the boss without defying him.
“But then it goes into the irons versus Spacey thing, where it's like, is Spacey gonna take this guy on?”
Bill Simmons · 0:44:10
pick Irons versus Spacey, part two: the you-are-panicking exchange.
“Part 2 of Irons versus Spacey, I have too, whereas the, yeah, it does the, you are panicking.”
Bill Simmons · 0:44:51
pick Spacey tries to quit and gets Irons's long speech about people who can't pay for their big houses.
“Um, And then I got for the last one, the Spacey tries to quit.”
Bill Simmons · 0:45:26
pick The stoop scene, where Eric Dale finally talks to Will and the other life he could have chosen shows.
“I think that the stoop scene, you've been waiting and waiting for Eric Dale to talk to Will, the life that they didn't, that the sort of romance of the other choice he could have made.”
Brian Koppelman · 0:46:15
floated Tucci's character being let go, the HR woman's hand movements and the sailboat on the retirement guide.
“It's very minor. I wouldn't call it rewatchable, but it's perfect. It's when Tucci's being let go.”
Ryen Russillo · 0:47:48
pick Bettany on the balcony.
“Yeah, those were the 2 and I think irons on the.”
Brian Koppelman · 0:50:02
pick Irons's first scene in the conference room, with all the best characters together in one room.
“I think, uh, really for rewatchable, there's so many dynamics in that scene when he says, you know, stand up in the conference room scene, yeah.”
Brian Koppelman · 0:50:05
pick Will selling off his positions over the course of the trading day, shot on the room working the phones.
“Will selling off his positions, and they do a really good job of telling that story over the course of a trading day, and it's really shot well too, because it's not on him.”
Ryen Russillo · 0:50:33

Ebert review · Bill reads what Roger Ebert thought of the film.

pick Margin Call: Ebert gave it 3.5 stars and praised the cast making financial talk into compelling dialogue.
“Our guy Roger Ebert, 3.5 stars said excellent cast.”
Bill Simmons · 0:34:36

What's aged the best · What about the movie, or around it, has gotten better with time.

pick The cyclical nature of the markets, which Irons spells out
“What's aged the best is exactly what both of you were talking about, the cyclical nature, which is what irons is telling you and why he's so confident.”
Ryen Russillo · 0:19:35
pick Demi Moore: He likes seeing former A-listers used like relievers coming out of the bullpen.
“I like seeing Demi Moore in movies like this.”
Bill Simmons · 0:51:09
pick Irons asking to be spoken to like a golden retriever
“The, uh, we mentioned the speak to me as you might a young child or a golden retriever, wasn't brains that brought me here.”
Bill Simmons · 0:51:26
pick The 2008 financial crisis as material, for all the books, movies and articles after it: He says 2008 has aged worst as an event and best as storytelling.
“So 2008 is obviously aged the worst because it's unbelievable that it happened, but it's also aged the best from just a storytelling standpoint.”
Ryen Russillo · 0:51:57
pick A movie set over one night while most people sleep
“I love just the, the, a movie that takes place in one night.”
Brian Koppelman · 0:52:26
pick The custodian in the elevator during the fight
“Just incredible use of the custodian in the elevator, just...”
Bill Simmons · 0:53:14
pick Demi Moore's character, written as three-dimensional rather than a cliche
“And I thought that's nuanced than good, that they gave them that last scene, you know, the Demi and Tucci scene and and that they're human to each other is very cool”
Brian Koppelman · 0:53:55
pick Goldman's share price, from 50 in 2008 to 426 this year
“Goldman's share price.”
Ryen Russillo · 0:54:15
pick Penn Badgley as Seth: He became a massive star from You, and now it is hard to separate him from the role.
“I think I would throw him Pen Badgley too, who became just a massive star from you”
Bill Simmons · 0:54:57
pick Zachary Quinto: He says the movie put Quinto in a different place than he was before, after Spock and Heroes.
“that guy really, with this movie, put himself in a different place than than he was in before that, I think.”
Brian Koppelman · 0:55:45

Den of Thieves Benihana Award (scene-stealing location) · The location that steals the scene.

pick The street and stoop where Tucci sits
“I like when the stoop for Tucci, I think that street is just really cool and great.”
unknown · 0:56:53
pick The corporate dining room where Irons eats his steak alone: A big empty room with the whole city in view and one man eating.
“And then I love the corporate dining room and when Irons is eating his steak, which would be my vote.”
unknown · 0:56:59

Great Shot Gordo Award (most cinematic shot) · The most cinematic shot, named after Gordon Willis.

pick Spacey digging in the dark lit only by the car's headlights
“I mean, you kind of, you kind of have to go with the digging at the end, right?”
Brian Koppelman · 0:57:29
pick Demi Moore staring out a high-rise window in a crisis
“I like when people stare out of windows and tall buildings in New York City and they're under some sort of they're having some sort of crisis.”
Bill Simmons · 0:58:02

Butch's Girlfriend Award (weak link) · The weak link of the film.

pick No weak link; he gives the award to no one
“This is rare. I don't think there's a weak link in this film.”
Bill Simmons · 0:58:21

What's aged the worst · What about the movie, or around it, has gotten worse with time.

pick Kevin Spacey as Sam: His off-screen baggage makes the first ten minutes uncomfortable, though he loses himself in the movie later.
“We got to start with Spacey.”
Bill Simmons · 0:58:39
pick The Big Short: He thinks its success swallowed the oxygen around this story.
“And then I do think Big Short hurt this movie a little bit because it was so successful.”
Bill Simmons · 0:59:29
pick The Big Short: He says the Big Short sold the overnight-city montage idea much better.
“I want to stay with a big short part of it too”
Ryen Russillo · 0:59:56
pick Kevin Spacey as Sam: He agrees it is disconcerting, though he is playing a morally bankrupt man.
“No, you nailed it with, uh, you nailed it with Spacey.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:01:09

Ron Burgundy Award (best time for a pee break) · The best stretch of the movie to leave for a bathroom break.

pick Penn Badgley crying in the bathroom, then the shaving: He can be gone about 75 seconds and miss only some crying and shaving.
“I'm, if, as soon as Pen Badge is crying, I'm, I can hustle out of there for about 75 seconds.”
Bill Simmons · 1:01:28

Better title · Whether the film's title served it.

pick A blunter title aimed at the banks (he floats Pigs): He wonders whether a more aggressive title would have drawn more curiosity than Margin Call.
“I love this question because I wonder if the title hurt in that.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:01:52
pick Margin Call is a bad title; he suggests Sell, Sell, Sell
“I don't like margin call the title. I think it's a bad title.”
Bill Simmons · 1:02:39
pick Margin Call is fine as a title, though Sell, Sell, Sell would be more immediate
“but I didn't mind margin call, but again, I'm steeped in this crap as a writer, so I'm interested.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:03:17

Best quote · The best line in the movie.

nominee The fear of falling is really the fear that you might jump
“If I gave you the, uh, it is in the fear of falling.”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:42
nominee If you're the first out the door, that's not called panicking
“If you're the 1st out the door, that's not called panicking.”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:46
nominee Three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter or cheat
“I could give you 3 ways to make a living, this business, be 1st, be smarter or cheat.”
Bill Simmons · 1:03:49
winner Come back, take the money, you'll be home by five: Bill approves it as the line the whole movie is about.
“Come back, take the money, you'll be home by five.”
unknown · 1:03:55

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · Each host gives a hot take.

pick Margin Call is better, more satisfying and more rewatchable than The Big Short
“I just like this movie more than the big short.”
Bill Simmons · 1:04:08
pick Margin Call is one of the 10 best movies of the last 15 years
“Uh, I think mine is that I think this is one of the 10 best movies of the last 15 years.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:04:33
pick In a 2022 version, Demi Moore's character would not be the scapegoat: Brian and Bill disagree that it would play that way today.
“This comes out in 2022, Demi Moore is Jeremy. Iron's not the scapegoat.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:04:42

Casting what-ifs · Actors who were almost cast, and recasts the hosts imagine.

pick Ben Kingsley as the Jeremy Irons role: He was offered the part first but had other projects.
“The Jeremy Ions ions world was originally offered too. Sinbad. Sir Ben Kingsley.”
Bill Simmons · 1:05:32
pick Tim Robbins: He had to refuse because of other obligations.
“Also, Tim Robbins. He had to refuse because of other obligations, and same for Billy Cruddup”
Bill Simmons · 1:05:43
pick Billy Crudup: Bill does not know which part he was wanted for; he was busy.
“and same for Billy Cruddup, and I don't know what part it would have been, but those were the 2 that they wanted that couldn't do it because they were busy.”
Bill Simmons · 1:05:47
pick Carla Gugino as the Demi Moore character: She dropped out at the last minute when another project ran long, and Demi Moore stepped in late.
“was supposed to play the Demi Moore character, and at the last minute had another project that ran long”
Bill Simmons · 1:06:00
pick Tom Hanks as the Spacey role: Recasting couch: he thinks viewers would root for Hanks while the character is not good, and that it would have worked.
“Tom Hanks in the spacy role.”
Bill Simmons · 1:08:45
pick Tom Hanks as the Spacey role: He says Hanks plays human moments so well he would have been better than Spacey.
“Oh, totally would have worked.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:09:18
nominee Tom Hanks as the Spacey role: He doubts Hanks, who does not play sleaze, could deliver the drifting-away end speech.
“He doesn't play sleaze.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:10:36
pick Russell Crowe as the Spacey role: An Insider-version Russell Crowe, heavier and with a Jersey accent.
“I think like Russell Crowe could have played that part in the insider version of Russell Crowe and it would have been kind of fascinating.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:11:11
pick James Gandolfini as Sam
“Also, Gandalfini would have been fucking incredible as Sam.”
unknown · 1:26:18
pick Philip Seymour Hoffman as Sam
“Philip Seymour Hoffman, the other guy who obviously could have played Sammy, would have killed it.”
unknown · 1:26:40

Rubenck Partridge overacting award · The performance that overacts the most.

pick No one; he hands out no award because everyone was understated: Brian and Ryen agree the big moments were earned by the stakes.
“I never want to not hand out this award, but I just, I felt like everybody was pretty understated.”
Bill Simmons · 1:06:51

Best That Guy · The best that-guy actor in the cast.

winner Asif Mandvi as Ramesh: He never knew the name until he looked it up; he has popped up all over.
“So the guy who plays Ramesh, who's that like the executive lawyer. His name is Asif Manvi.”
Bill Simmons · 1:07:51

Dion Waiters Award · A smaller role with a big impact.

winner Paul Bettany as Will: Hard to find one person coming off the bench, so he gives it to Bettany despite his big role.
“So, I'm giving it to Bettany.”
Bill Simmons · 1:08:30

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of the film.

pick Eric Dale's math on days saved by the bridge is off by ten times
“this is a real nitpick, but Eric Dale made a mathematical era when he was talking about the time saved by the people using the bridge.”
Bill Simmons · 1:12:39
pick The cancer-stricken dog and the shovel: He says it is a little much, though the shot is the prettiest in the movie.
“The cancer stricken dog and the shovel. It's a little much.”
Bill Simmons · 1:15:27
pick The dog obsession: He knows why it is there but thinks the writer might have changed it with a sixth day.
“I, I, it's the one thing in the movie that I, the, the, the dog obsession.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:15:42
pick Simon Baker's character named Jared Cohen: He says Baker does not look like a Jared Cohen.
“Simon Baker's character is named Jared Cohen, Cohen.”
Bill Simmons · 1:15:52
pick Hard to believe nobody knew the firm was this over-leveraged
“I listen, I don't know enough about the whole financial world, but I just, I find it hard to believe nobody had any idea that they were over leverage like this.”
Bill Simmons · 1:16:17

Sequel, prequel, prestige TV · The follow-up, prequel or TV show they would make.

pick A 24-style 13-episode series covering the night in real time: He would not touch it himself but could see Apple making a splashy version.
“I did think long and hard about the prestige TV version of this.”
Bill Simmons · 1:18:34
pick A show set a year later, about how the firm rebuilt its relationships and became Goldman again
“The TV show is probably a year later.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:19:32

Who would you add to this movie · Which that-guy actor they would drop into the film.

pick Philip Baker Hall: Suggested as a new part, such as Sam's father in the flashback.
“I will just say Philip Baker Hall would have been an incredible ad.”
unknown · 1:21:49

Oscar pick · The one person who gets an Oscar.

winner J.C. Chandor: Bill says he agrees.
“JC.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:22:25

Unanswerable questions · Open questions the movie leaves hanging.

pick How long Spacey's character really stays at the firm: Guesses in the room ran from at least five to ten years.
“Here's my, how long you think Spacey really stays there?”
unknown · 1:22:59

Memorabilia · A piece of memorabilia they would want from the movie.

pick A character's car, an Aston Martin: Bill and Ryen say they could not come up with anything.
“I'll take the Aston Martin.”
unknown · 1:24:36

Coach Finstock Award (best life lesson) · The best life lesson in the movie.

pick Talk to your kids
“Talk to your kids.”
Brian Koppelman · 1:24:46
pick Do your math a little better
“I would also go with maybe maybe do math a little bit better.”
unknown · 1:24:50

Who won the movie · Who came out of the movie the biggest winner.

winner J.C. Chandor: He wins on degree of difficulty and for launching a career on no money or time.
“I think he wins it too because of the degree of difficulty.”
Bill Simmons · 1:26:54
nominee Jeremy Irons as John: He calls Irons the silver medalist.
“But, I mean, you could make an irons case here, that would be pretty good.”
Bill Simmons · 1:27:23
winner J.C. Chandor: He could make a case for Irons but picks Chandor for pulling off a hard-to-execute story.
“but I just like what JC did here.”
Ryen Russillo · 1:27:31

Films that came up

Claims (52)

theme (theme): Margin Call → Liar's Poker. Russillo links the movie's no-one-knows-what's-going-on feeling to Michael Lewis's Liar's Poker.
“I always think of that liar's poker effect from Michael Lewis”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:02:53 · Ryen Russillo (0.85 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Margin Call → The Big Short. Koppelman says the Big Short film does not equal Margin Call in conveying the psychology of the people who unleashed the crisis.
“the movie, The Big Short, to me, doesn't really equal this film in letting us understand the psychology of the people who really like loose this thing on the world”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:04:16 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Zachary Quinto → Penn Badgley. Debate over redemption: Quinto's and Badgley's young characters might escape, Tucci's is gone.
“Zach Kinto feels like there's a chance.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:05:23 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Simon Baker → Penn Badgley. Simmons thinks Baker's character is worse than Badgley's; Russillo says Badgley's Seth wants to be Jared.
“He wants to be Jared, right?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:09:55 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
career (career): Demi Moore → Disclosure. Simmons calls her role the lady from Disclosure fifteen years on.
“basically playing the lady from disclosure, 15 years later”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:11:06 · Bill Simmons (0.90 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Jeremy Irons → Kevin Spacey. Russillo loves that Irons plays powerful as normal by asking to be explained to like a child, though he'd already decided.
“he presents himself as the most normal, but he had clearly already made up his mind”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:13:19 · Ryen Russillo (0.85 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Margin Call → The Wolf of Wall Street. Koppelman names Wolf as the other movie he has watched most, for the psychology of its people.
“Wolf of Wall Street's the other movie I've probably watched the most”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:20:50 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
career (career): Margin Call → Billions. Koppelman says Margin Call reaffirmed how he and Dave had thought about these people, and made a hedge-fund story make more sense than a bank story.
“margin call may be reaffirmed that the way Dave and I thought about these people, as we'd met them, was pretty much like the way a lot of them are”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:21:18 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Margin Call → Billions. Koppelman says the borrowed lesson is that Margin Call does not speak down to the viewer.
“this movie doesn't speak down to the viewer”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:21:59 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
theme (genre): Margin Call → Michael Clayton. Simmons groups Margin Call with Michael Clayton, Shattered Glass and Moneyball as modern office thrillers.
“It's like an office thriller, almost.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:23:21 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
theme (genre): Margin Call → The Company Men. Koppelman recommends The Company Men as a good if lesser film in the same mold.
“if you like this movie, um, that I really, really like. It's not as good as margin call, but really good is the company man.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:23:48 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Margin Call → The Wolf of Wall Street. Russillo notes the Irons/Spacey penthouse shot resembles the DiCaprio/McConaughey scene, both explaining finance without talking down.
“the shot is similar when it's the 1st time with DiCaprio and McConaughey”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:24:40 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Boiler Room → The Wolf of Wall Street. Koppelman says Boiler Room informed Wolf, being the fictional version of Jordan Belfort's story.
“Boiler Room really informed Wolf of Wall Street because Boiler Room was the fictional version of Jordan's story”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:25:01 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Ben Younger → Oliver Stone. Koppelman notes Stone did the Wall Street story first and Younger went after it with limited resources.
“Oliver Stone did it first, but Ben Younger went after this.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:25:01 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Margin Call → The Big Short. Koppelman: unlike Big Short, these people are not criminals by law, making this a crime movie with no prosecutable crime.
“this is a crime movie with no prosecutable crime in it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:26:32 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Margin Call → The Wolf of Wall Street. Same stretch: Wolf is about criminals who went to jail; Margin Call has no coke, assault or prosecutable crime.
“Jordan went to jail.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:26:45 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Margin Call → Michael Clayton. Michael Clayton has murder in it, Margin Call does not.
“Michael Clayton has murder in it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:26:51 · Brian Koppelman (0.70 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Margin Call → Contagion. Simmons lists 2011 movies like Margin Call, Moneyball, Limitless, Contagion as the end of the pre-streaming era; today they'd be pitched as TV.
“this was kind of the end of the pre-streaming era.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:28:21 · Bill Simmons (0.90 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Margin Call → Limitless. Simmons thinks Limitless alone might get made today but would be a TV series, and was one.
“limitless just would have been a TV series and eventually it was anyway.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:28:51 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Margin Call → George Clooney. Koppelman says it would only be a feature today with a movie star, naming Clooney as Irons.
“You probably would have had to put Clooney in the Jeremy Irons role and then it gets made now as a feature”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:30:08 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
career (career): J.C. Chandor → A Most Violent Year. Koppelman became an instant J.C. fan and watched Chandor's later films the moment they were available.
“I watched the most violent year, the moment it was available.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:30:39 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Zachary Quinto → Margin Call. Simmons notes Margin Call was produced by Quinto's production company.
“this was produced by Zachary Quinto's uh, Zachary Quinto's uh, production company.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:30:57 · Ryen Russillo (0.60 sure it was them)
career (career): Margin Call → Rounders. Koppelman contrasts Chandor's four-day script with Rounders, which took 3.5 months for a first draft.
“rounders was 3.5 months for the 1st draft after we'd outlined it”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:32:20 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
craft (craft): J.C. Chandor → Kevin Spacey. Koppelman says the clapping was found by Spacey on the day, and Chandor kept the speech as written.
“Spacey and he found the clapping thing like on the day”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:32:52 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Margin Call → Roger Ebert. Simmons reports Ebert's 3.5-star review praising the cast making financial talk compelling.
“Our guy Roger Ebert, 3.5 stars said excellent cast.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:34:36 · Bill Simmons (0.95 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Margin Call → The Company Men. Russillo remembers Affleck's kid's jumper in The Company Men.
“Affleck's kid has probably one of the best jumpers I've ever seen in a movie or TV”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:35:46 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
people (people): Stanley Tucci → Philip Seymour Hoffman. Koppelman says that when Hoffman was alive, Tucci and Hoffman were the two actors he most wanted to work with.
“Tucci and Philip Seymour Hoffman were like the 2 people, I didn't get to work with what most want to work with”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:46:28 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
career (career): Stanley Tucci → Big Night. Koppelman says he is a fanatic for Big Night and Tucci always has humanity.
“I'm a fanatic for big night”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:46:28 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Margin Call → Up in the Air. Simmons or Koppelman note Up in the Air shares the layoff-scene quality with the Tucci layoff.
“Oh, that's another movie that goes in the category is up in the air”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:48:21 · Bill Simmons (0.55 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Margin Call → Billions. Koppelman says Billions also does the all-the-best-characters-in-one-room scene.
“There's a couple TV shows that do this, including billions.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:50:18 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Margin Call → Goldman Sachs. Russillo ties the film to Goldman's real-world arc and share price, 50 in 2008 to 426 this year.
“50 bucks a share, 2008, uh, hit 426 this year”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:54:18 · Ryen Russillo (0.85 sure it was them)
career (career): Penn Badgley → You (TV series). Simmons says Badgley became a massive star from You, so it's hard to unravel him from the role.
“It's one of those roles where you almost can't unravel the real person from the roll.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:55:09 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Penn Badgley → The Silence of the Lambs. Compared to Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, Simmons can't unravel Badgley from You.
“It's like Anthony Hopkins and Silence and Lambs.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:55:16 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
career (career): Zachary Quinto → Star Trek. Simmons and Russillo say Margin Call lifted Quinto beyond Spock/Heroes.
“He was Spock and Star Trek.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:55:59 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Margin Call → The Big Short. Simmons says Big Short hurt Margin Call by swallowing its oxygen, making it less rewatchable on cable.
“Big Short kind of swallowed up a little bit of the oxygen around this story.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:59:40 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Margin Call → The Big Short. Russillo compares Margin Call's overnight city-drive beat to McKay's silent montage with iPhones, which he says sold it better.
“I think the big short sold that so much more.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:00:20 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Margin Call → The Big Short. Simmons's hottest take: he likes Margin Call more than The Big Short.
“I just like this movie more than the big short.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:04:08 · Bill Simmons (0.90 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Margin Call → The Big Short. Simmons's second take: one of the 10 best movies of the last 15 years.
“this is one of the 10 best movies of the last 15 years.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:04:33 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Paul Bettany → Matthew McConaughey. Russillo says Margin Call has no off-the-bench cameo like McConaughey in Wolf, so Bettany gets Best That Guy.
“not that one person who comes in for like, like McConaughey in Wolf of Wall Street.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:08:18 · Ryen Russillo (0.75 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Tom Hanks → Kevin Spacey. Simmons argues Hanks in the Spacey role would make the audience root for a man who isn't good.
“if that's Hanks, you're processing the movie a little bit differently”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:09:02 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Tom Hanks → Kevin Spacey. Koppelman says Hanks does not play sleaze and could not sell the drifting-away line at the end.
“He doesn't play sleaze.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:10:32 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Russell Crowe → Kevin Spacey. Simmons floats Crowe as in The Insider as Sam.
“Russell Crowe could have played that part in the insider version of Russell Crowe”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:11:11 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Margin Call → 24 (TV series). Simmons imagines a prestige-TV version in a 24 style, 13 episodes of one night.
“do a 24 style, like keep for Sutherland, that show”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:18:38 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Philip Baker Hall → John Tuld. Koppelman says Hall could have played either Tuld or Sam.
“Philip Biggerhall could have played either.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:22:02 · Brian Koppelman (0.60 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Margin Call → The Wolf of Wall Street. Koppelman's double-feature picks are Wolf of Wall Street or Sweet Smell of Success.
“Either wolf of Wall Street or sweet smell of success.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:23:57 · Brian Koppelman (0.85 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Margin Call → Bright Lights, Big City. Russillo's double-feature pick.
“Bright lights, big city.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:24:02 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Margin Call → Wall Street. Simmons chooses Wall Street as the best double feature, a fun mix that complements.
“I would go Wall Street.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:24:10 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Kevin Spacey → The Usual Suspects (Verbal Kint). Koppelman contrasts how Spacey smokes in Margin Call with Verbal Kint's cigarette business.
“Look at the way verbal Kent smokes a cigarette compared to the way this guy smokes a cigarette.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:25:12 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Robert De Niro → Midnight Run. Simmons calls De Niro the Michael Jordan of cigarette-smoking, citing Jimmy Conway and Jack Walsh in Midnight Run.
“the way Jack Walsh smoked the midnight run.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:25:50 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): James Gandolfini → Kevin Spacey. Koppelman says Gandolfini would have been incredible as Sam.
“Gandalfini would have been fucking incredible as Sam.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:26:18 · Brian Koppelman (0.70 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Philip Seymour Hoffman → Kevin Spacey. Someone adds Hoffman as another candidate for Sam.
“Philip Seymour Hoffman, the other guy who obviously could have played Sammy, would have killed it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:26:40 · Brian Koppelman (0.60 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Margin Call → Succession. Producer Craig says it is indistinguishable from an HBO show like Succession, and would be a 10-part series now.
“I couldn't believe this was a movie, and I think if it did get made today, it would easily be a 10 part TV show”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:29:07 · Craig Horlbeck (0.90 sure it was them)

Fun items (27)

fun, about Margin Call: Koppelman has watched this more than any movie of the last 15 years; Simmons calls it more horror than drama.
“I dig that it's more of a horror movie than a drama.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:01:48 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: Irons asks to be told the situation like to a child or golden retriever; Russillo calls it a power move that is a red flag.
“I'm not here because I'm smart.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:12:53 · Ryen Russillo (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Kevin Spacey: The clapping out in the open is one of the greatest moments, an actor's choice found on the day.
“he claps it out when he walks out there, which is one of the greatest moments in the movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:18:12 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: Irons lists financial panics by year; Russillo likens it to NBA cyclical trades.
“he just starts listing the years.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:18:55 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: Russillo jokes Irons hasn't eaten until the bell closes, with Simmons's post-2014 diet discipline.
“He's got Simmons post 2014 discipline on the diet.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:20:27 · Ryen Russillo (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: Because of his schedule, all his scenes had to be crammed into three days, and Simmons thinks the haggard look helps.
“they had to cram all of the scenes in the space of 3 days.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:31:20 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about J.C. Chandor: Chandor wrote the script in about four straight days with almost no edits, per a morning message to Koppelman.
“He wrote the script basically in 4 straight days”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:31:53 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Shot in 17 days on a $3.5 million budget that grossed $19 million; nominated for best original screenplay.
“This movie had a $3500000 budget made 19 million.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:34:32 · Bill Simmons (0.90 sure it was them)
fun, about Paul Bettany: The shoulder slap on Eric Dale is Simmons's favorite bit.
“My favorite part is the betany shoulder slap, though.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:37:52 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Paul Bettany: Best scene of his career on the balcony; Simmons and Koppelman both pick it for most rewatchable.
“This is probably the best betting scene of his career is on a balcony.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:39:10 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Paul Bettany: Balcony speech: fear of falling is really fear that you might jump; then the money-left-after-taxes run with 76,520 on hookers.
“isn't the fear of falling?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:39:15 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Ryen Russillo: Russillo's own layoffs and low first salaries: AAA baseball job paid 12 grand, local radio 25K.
“I made 12 grand, I was told I'd make 30”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:40:45 · Ryen Russillo (0.90 sure it was them)
fun, about Stanley Tucci: The stoop scene was the first thing shot; the whole movie builds to it.
“they shot that on the 1st day of shooting.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:47:27 · Brian Koppelman (0.90 sure it was them)
fun, about Stanley Tucci: The sailboat on the retirement-guide cover in the layoff scene is perfect.
“let's have a sailboat on the fucking cover”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:48:13 · Ryen Russillo (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Demi Moore: Simmons likes seeing A-listers come out of the bullpen in a smaller role.
“throw 20 pitches in the 7th inning.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:51:13 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Zachary Quinto: Pitch to Zachary Quinto to join Billions in season nine after Damian Lewis left.
“Season nine.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 0:56:31 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Best-title discussion: Russillo and Simmons say Margin Call is a bad title; suggestion of Sell, Sell, Sell.
“I think it's a bad title.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:02:41 · Bill Simmons (0.75 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Casting what-ifs: Irons role first offered to Ben Kingsley, Tim Robbins and Billy Crudup passed, Carla Gugino was to play Demi Moore's part.
“The Jeremy Ions ions world was originally offered too.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:05:32 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Grace Gummer: Her scene as Quinto's ex-girlfriend was cut for poor directorial work; it's on the DVD.
“you can find it on the DVD.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:06:24 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Best that guy: Asif Mandvi plays the executive lawyer.
“His name is Asif Manvi.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:07:55 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: More than 80 percent of the film was shot on the 42nd floor of One Penn Plaza, vacated by a trading firm.
“more than 80% of the action was shot on the 42nd floor of one Penn Plaza”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:12:11 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: His work visa needed U.S. senators; the credits thank the Jeremy Irons visa miracle team.
“they actually thank the Jeremy Irons visa miracle team”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:12:33 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
fun, about Jeremy Irons: Eric Dale's bridge math is off by 10x; the real figure is millions of days.
“He shortchanged himself by 10 times.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:13:01 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Dog and shovel: prettiest shot in the movie but styled up about 27 percent.
“I agree, though, that's the prettiest shot in the movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:15:38 · Ryen Russillo (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Simon Baker: Name award: he doesn't look like a Jared Cohen.
“he definitely doesn't look like a Jared Cohen.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:16:12 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Kevin Spacey: Smoking details; he smokes differently per character.
“He smokes a cigarette completely differently depending on what character he's playing.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:25:08 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)
fun, about Margin Call: Producer Craig says it's indistinguishable from an HBO show and still makes him want to work in finance.
“it never fails to make me want to work in finance.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Margin Call’ With Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, and Brian Koppelman · 1:29:19 · Craig Horlbeck (0.90 sure it was them)

Who's talking

Bill Simmons (host): Loves ensemble casts throwing 98 miles an hour, office thrillers, and A-listers used from the bullpen. Dislikes weak links and weak titles. A sucker for a good rewatch category.
Ryen Russillo (host): Deep-dives on 2008, finance, scene mechanics and detail; loves Irons's powerful-as-normal act and the sales-floor scene. Can't stand bad athletic casting.
Brian Koppelman (guest): Loves craft: Chandor's economy, not speaking down, and actors like Tucci and Hoffman. Sucker for heightened workplace dialogue and one-night structures.

The show's recurring bits

Apex Mountain: The moment a star peaks; where on the mountain a performance sits.
Who Won the Movie: The hosts name the person who came out of the film best off.
The Ebert review: Roger Ebert's original review and star rating read aloud. Ebert is cited, never on the show.
Casting what-ifs: Who was almost cast, or who should have been.
Most rewatchable scene: The scene each host would stop on while flipping channels.
Aged best / aged worst: What holds up and what does not.
Picking Nits: The little things in a film the hosts love that they don't think totally work: the nits.
Double feature: The film each host would pair it with; a programming pick.

Names the transcriber got wrong

Russello/Priscilla/Rusilla/Riccillo = Ryen Russillo
Compliment/Cop/Copleman = Brian Koppelman
Kinto/Quinto = Zachary Quinto
Betany/Betney = Paul Bettany
Pen Bagley = Penn Badgley
Solomon Brothers = Salomon Brothers
JHC/Jason Chandor = J.C. Chandor
1000000000s = Billions
Ions = Irons
Asif Manvi = Asif Mandvi
Classbound Bulow (Crowe reference unclear)