Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sober
- tense
- grim
- true crime night
- serious drama viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film consistently watchable and well acted, especially praising its direction and performances despite its limited new insight into the familiar true story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film traces Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme through his family, employees, victims, and the wider Wall Street environment.
Madoff's image as a trusted financial authority contrasts with the hidden fraud sustaining his reputation and lifestyle.
The story focuses on Madoff, Ruth, their children, and the fallout after the Ponzi scheme collapses.
Robert De Niro's portrayal presents Madoff as an emotionally guarded family patriarch whose composure conceals culpability.
Films like The Wizard of Lies, and why
The Big Short
fact-based financial crime drama centered on a charismatic fraudster and the human cost of systemic deception
The Wolf of Wall Street
biographical Wall Street drama examining ambition, corruption, and the collapse of a financial empire
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
true-crime drama about an elaborate financial con and the damage inflicted on victims and families
Too Big to Fail
television biographical drama driven by a commanding central performance and the fallout from public scandal
Movie Details
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Release Date
- 2017-05-11
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (679)
Cast
- Robert De Niro
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Hank Azaria
- Kristen Connolly
- Lily Rabe
- Alessandro Nivola
- Kathrine Narducci
- Nathan Darrow
- Steve Coulter
- Michael A. Goorjian
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Wizard of Lies about?
- Barry Levinson’s sober biographical crime drama portrays Bernie Madoff’s colossal Ponzi scheme through the fractured family and financial culture that enabled it.
- What is The Wizard of Lies like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wizard of Lies as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Wizard of Lies violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Wizard of Lies.
- What did critics think of The Wizard of Lies?
- Critics found the film consistently watchable and well acted, especially praising its direction and performances despite its limited new insight into the familiar true story.
- Which films are like The Wizard of Lies?
- Films with a similar feel include The Big Short, The Wolf of Wall Street, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and Too Big to Fail.
- How long is The Wizard of Lies?
- The Wizard of Lies runs 133 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Wizard of Lies?
- In United States, The Wizard of Lies streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
