Arbitrage did a decent job of setting up the characters, and progressing through all the scenario's, until the end when it leaves you feel like you've been left hanging. I get it, the reasons why everyone did what they did, and said what they said (i.e. wife, new owner, daughter, etc.) but the movie somehow left me with a feeling of incompleteness. I would've rather the cop had barged into the awards dinner, with all his peers there. and placed handcuffs on the main character, placing him under arrest as he stood at the podium. accepting his award. Sure, it could've left us wondering what evidence was uncovered, or manufactured, but if I'm going to be left hanging, I'd rather be left hanging there. Some of the things he was involved in and overcame, were plausible, but as a whole, not so much. If you like 'far fetched' plots, you will enjoy watching Arbitrage, at least until the last few minutes of the movie, which is anti climactic. Surely, we're not suppose to believe he signed the legal document his wife sprung on him, essentially submitting to her blackmail. After all the things he was previously able to wiggle out of, he couldn't somehow wiggle out of that? Or, maybe we are expected to believe it was his wife who he succumbed to, in the end. In that case, he would not, could not, be the 'all powerful' which the movie attempts to personify. Obviously, the writers wanted him to somehow be cut down, but I would've preferred the handcuff disgrace, rather than what we are expected to believe his wife had accomplished. Maybe his being arrested would've given the perception that he didn't sign it, and to the contrary, he wasn't arrested, so we can assume he did sign it. I guess we can assume his wife didn't know that he had taken care of both of their children, in the deal. I'm not sure just what we are expected to assume. When Sarandon was kissed on the forehead by Gere as he stood up to accept his award, her expression was all we were given, and it gave little indication of who capitulated. All I'm saying is to be prepared for a let down. Sorry, but this movie was incomplete for me. Too bad, because the acting wasn't bad.
