"The film is an attack on American business culture. A roll-up credit at the end thanks a list of people who brought us the movie; all of them executives at Enron and WorldCom and other companies whose scandals have rocked the financial world."[Sydney Morning Herald review, December 22, 2005]
This is really nothing particularly new-Hollywood has always had lots of portrayals of business scandals.
What is different is the setting-and what it means to hit rock bottom:
"What follows is a kind of modern Depression comedy—a bit like Sullivan's Travels, set in Silicon Valley.Dick eventually sinks to day labour with Mexican illegals. Jane becomes a guinea pig for dangerous pharmaceutical testing."
Traditionally, Silicon Valley managed to maintain a fairly "clean" and positive media image. I lived in Silicon Valley from 1984-1996. I dare say there is lots more grist for Hollywood's mill that remains ready for exploitation.
