WISHBONE NORTH
  • Welcome
  • Menus
  • Catering
  • Contact
  • News
  • Gallery
  • EVENTS

TOO SMALL TO JAIL?

9/13/2017

 

ABACUS makes its TV debut on frontline

Picture
Steve James of HOOP DREAMS, The INTERRUPTERS, and STEVIE fame, has made another gem of a documentary that brings out some of the best (and, to a lesser extent, worst) faces of the human condition.   Many know a little about the story of the only American bank indicted for criminal fraud after the great  meltdown of 2006.   The rough outline is that a Savings and Loan owned by the Sung family in New York's Chinatown was  selected by NY Attorney General Cyrus Vance, Jr. (yes,--the son of that Cyrus Vance) to be an example of how the system can hold banksters accountable.    But ABACUS (the name of the bank) is not the story you think you've watched a dozen or more times about rogue Wall Streeters, mathematicians and con men.  Matt Taibbi does put in an appearance; there is a trial; there is a run on the bank; there are crooks . . . but that's NOT why you should see it.  
Beyond the suspense and heroes and villains, the film evokes sympathy for our own, man-made disasters, for a different segment  of our immigrant mix and winds up flipping what we think we know about victimless crime.  More to the point, there is a lesson here for all Americans in what it means to save face; to rely on family and to find our better angels.  James focuses once again on the flesh and blood stories  that dangle far below the headlines   To say more is to be a spoiler.  See it because it is RESTORATIVE!  There's a glimmer of hope that shines through the darkness . . . and, wonder of wonders, some really likeable people. 

Kudos to Steve James, to our producing friends at Kartemquin Films and to PBS and Frontline for airing something special that everyone should see.

Picture
Steve James - Director of ABACUS

Comments are closed.

    Guy

    The Wishbone oracle

    Archives

    May 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    ART SHOWS
    SPECIAL EVENTS

    RSS Feed

Wishbone Restaurant 
3300 N.  Lincoln Ave.
2  blocks NW of Ashland/Belmont

SEARCHING NEW HOME
SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATION  
Picture
Wishbone Southern Cooking