Although the first third was too heavy on tech bro-speak for me, Mountainhead is worth watching for a few reasons, not least of which is to marvel at the acting versatility of Steve Carell. Fair warning: The premise is sadly plausible, the cluelessness of the four tech-bros disturbingly familiar, the celebration of unbridled avariciousness sickeningly real. In other words, the laughs throughout this recently released satire come at a cost, just as they are intended to.
Now about Steve Carell. Put aside his well-deserved notoriety as Michael Scott, the king of smarm, on the long-running TV series The Office. Instead, try remaining unimpressed with his range in Forty-Year-Old Virgin, Little Miss Sunshine, Foxcatcher, Beautiful Boy, and now Mountainhead. Like all actors - or writers or musicians for that matter - he's had his share of duds. But those five films alone - never mind his nearly flawless consistency in The Office - represent a formidable legacy.
In his stunning writing/directing debut, Jesse Armstrong had the good sense to end Mountainhead with an extended closeup of Carell's expressive face. No words, nothing else in the frame. I defy anyone to remain unmoved. It's no exaggeration - and a testament to Carell's gift - to say I will never forget the final shot in this blacker-than-coal comedy.
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