Margin Call · written by J.C. Chandor · 2011

Sarah confirms Peter’s model is correct; she and Jared confront their exposure as Tuld arrives.

Scene 40 of 76 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act two

Sam Rogers
Jared Cohen
Sarah Robertson

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 41 min into a 1:36 film

The story so farBefore scene 40

When a junior analyst discovers exposure that could wipe out his investment bank, its executives race to unload the danger on their customers while a veteran executive confronts the price of helping them survive.

Scenes 1–12
The bank’s surviving employees return to familiar routines after firing Eric; Sam manages the floor while his dog is dying.
Scenes 13–23
Peter uncovers a threat to the firm’s survival and forces Will and Sam to respond.
Scenes 24–33
Peter’s work travels upstairs; Sam and the juniors enter Jared’s executive world and expose the scale of the risk.
Just before
Scene 37
Sarah and Jared wait in silence for the elevator.
Scene 38
In the elevator, Sarah questions Jared’s escalation and promises to verify Peter’s calculations quickly.
Scene 39
On the roof, Will predicts a fire sale and describes his spending before Tuld’s helicopter arrives.
Scene 40
This scene

40INT. JARED COHEN’S CORNER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

JARED and SAM are sitting in the office silently looking out the window. The office is very large and has a full sitting area with two couches. JARED is intensely going over the papers in front of him. SAM is just looking out the window.

SAM ROGERS

How old are you?

JARED COHEN

43.

SAM ROGERS

Jesus...

JARED stops reading with a deeply aware look and just stares out the window as well.

JARED COHEN

This is a very... very bad dream.

SAM looks over at him directly.

SAM ROGERS

I don’t know, seems like we actually may

have just finally woken up.

SARAH ROBERTSON comes to the door. SAM sits up.

SARAH ROBERTSON

Hello.

JARED COHEN

Come in.

SAM ROGERS

How do we look?

Her look says it all.

SAM ROGERS (cont’d)

I should go.

SARAH ROBERTSON

No, you should stay.

JARED COHEN

So?

SARAH ROBERTSON

(dead calm delivery)

It’s all legit... the kid killed it. The

formula is worthless.

They all look at each other as if they have seen a ghost.

JARED COHEN

What do you mean?

SARAH ROBERTSON

It’s broken.

JARED COHEN

There are eight trillion dollars of paper

around the world relying on that

equation??

SARAH ROBERTSON

We were wrong.

JARED COHEN

You mean you were wrong.

SARAH ROBERTSON

Don’t even start.... This was discussed.