Watching movies during flights usually isn’t my typical use of the time. But a recent flight found life not so typical. And 99 Homes had an actor nominated for a Golden Globe, so I partook. The movie was good, but it was also relatively quickly forgotten.
The film—about an evicted home owner whose house is foreclosed on and a real estate investor who capitalizes on those misfortunes (and the government’s failures to thoroughly oversee what’s going on)—has a fast pace. It highlights some dark elements of real estate, government, aspirations, wealth, and desperation. It’s harsh while at the same time gentle. This creates almost a whip-lash effect, one causing me to never feel like I could commit to caring about a character. Then again, maybe on the other side, I cared for all of them, but they all had elements that were distasteful. As I reflect now, I wonder how much of that could be seen in many people we know, if we knew them fully.
If you’re out of movies to watch, it’s worth a view. Just remember that it’s not the pretty side of real estate “deals.”