Lauren Greenfield's much lauded documentary lacks focus but leaves a lasting impression.
Director Lauren Greenfield lucked out when the obnoxiously rich, fascinating family she was following lost a huge amount of money during the 2008 economic crash but she milks the events that follow to the point of repetitive, meandering aimlessness.
But it is a great premise not because of the wealth of this family, but the situations it places them in and the delusion it creates. David Seigel,the man behind the multi-million dollar Westgate resorts, holds himself personally responsible for the election success of George W. Bush. He thinks he's so untouchable that he dares allude to the illegal activity involved in that election on camera. His younger wife Jackie is the optimistic star of the documentary and though she is endearing, she too fails to see the bigger picture or indeed the small details of her excesses.
The pair find themselves sacking hundreds of staff and downsizing their own home when the stock market crashes but pride stops David closing some of his biggest, shiniest (most over-compensating?) buildings. This doesn't stretch to the 90,000 sqft mansion inspired by a visit to Versailles, which is put on the market unfinished in the care of a real estate agent who pronounces it 'Versize'.
After you're over the shock of just how privileged and ambitious the Siegels are as they explain the numerous spas and bowling alleys they had planned to build, you start to feel sorry for everyone else however remotely involved with the Siegles they are. We meet employees who treat selling time-shares like they're saving lives and the immigrant nannies who have given up time with their own children only to find that they'll need to stay with the Siegels much longer than planned. It's a shame Greenfield doesn't follow through on their stories.
Instead she gives us some more funny distractions with the Siegel children and the ridiculous, regal family photos that depict them as somewhere between the Von Trapp kids and aristocracy. There's a lot to laugh at but you might feel guilty afterwards as it becomes apparent that Greenfield has run out of things to say and starts presenting this family like a pseudo-philosophical circus.
Still, given the aggressive banks and interest rates that are discussed, what comes across so unforgettably is how little anyone can do to plug up the indiscriminate economic hole.
Like our Facebook page
Click here for Things to do in London
Add an event
Bigger, better, tons more music: East End Film Festival Q&A
The East End Film Festival has established itself as one of the biggest and brightest film festivals...