'The Laundromat': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and everything you need to know about the Meryl Streep film on the Panama Papers
The story of the Panama Papers scandal will be retold as a comical farce in a new movie directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Meryl Streep. The film, distributed by Netflix, is based on investigative reporter Jake Bernstein's book 'Secrecy World: Inside the Panama Papers Investigation of Illicit Money Networks and the Global Elite', which told the story of how a number of leaders, politicians and celebrities worked their way around the tax system until they were exposed by the leaking of over 11 million incriminating documents.
Here’s everything you need to know about the project:
Release Date:
'The Laundromat' debuted at the Venice Film Festival September 1. It is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the United States starting September 27 after which it will make its way to Netflix October 18.
Plot:
The film begins with Meryl Streep's character on a dream vacation, during which she unwittingly uncovers the world of shady dealings that allow the rich and powerful to maintain their wealth while trying to overcome a minor inconvenience caused by a fake insurance policy. Here's Netflix's official synopsis of the movie:
"When her idyllic vacation takes an unthinkable turn, Ellen Martin begins investigating a fake insurance policy, only to find herself down a rabbit hole of questionable dealings that can be linked to a Panama City law firm and its vested interest in helping the world’s wealthiest citizens amass larger fortunes. Founding partners Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca are experts in the seductive ways shell companies and offshore accounts help the rich and powerful prosper. They are about to show us that Ellen’s predicament only hints at the tax evasion, bribery and other illicit absurdities that the super-wealthy indulge in to support the world’s corrupt financial system."
Cast:
Meryl Streep
Considered to be one of the greatest actors alive, Streep has been nominated for an Academy Award no less than 21 times, having won it thrice. She will be playing Ellen Martin, the widow whose investigation ends up unraveling one of the finance world's greatest conspiracies.
Other members of the cast include Gary Oldman ('Darkest Hour') as Jürgen Mossack, Antonio Banderas ('The Mask of Zorro') as Ramón Fonseca and David Schwimmer ('Friends') as Matthew Quirk alongside Jeffrey Wright, Will Forte, Larry Wilmore and Sharon Stone among others.
Director:
Steven Soderbergh
Soderbergh is an acclaimed American filmmaker, widely regarded as an early pioneer of independent cinema. His best-known works include the 'Ocean's' trilogy, 'Magic Mike' and the crime drama 'Traffic', which won him an Academy Award for Best Director.
The screenplay for 'The Laundromat' was adapted from Jake Bernstein's book by 'The Bourne Ultimatum' writer Scott Z. Burns. Bernstein is an executive producer for the film alongside Ben Everard and Douglas Urbanski. Soderbergh, Burns, Lawrence Grey, Gregory Jacobs and Michael Sugar have also been credited as producers for the film.
Trailer:
A full-length trailer for the movie was released August 28 that teased the fun to come. The trailer shows Oldman and Banderas in matching suits, laughing and joking as they help millionaires hide their wealth from governments around the world.
Streep's Ellen Martin begins a crusade against their law firm, Mossack Fonseca, trying to expose them as the fraudsters they are. "Bribery, corruption, money laundering, millions and millions and millions of dollars," Ellen says in the trailer. "Somebody has to sound the alarm."
That's exactly what she does and the alarm she rings echoes around the globe, bringing much-delayed justice to some of the most corrupt and wealthy people in the world. Despite the serious subject matter, the trailer suggests the movie will be a fun, comedic ride with plenty of humor, flashy locations and unpleasantly surprised millionaires.
If you’re excited about this movie, you’ll also love these:
'Sex, Lies, and Videotape', 'Ocean's Eleven', 'Murder Mystery', 'The Report' and 'The Informant'.
