Real estate in the movies

by Shawn Lackie

Every time I driver by the unfinished mess known as Kings Landing, it evokes memories of a certain movie that references Real Estate. That, in turn, led me to think about other films that have something to do with buying and selling properties.

First things first. Glengarry Glen Ross features a soliloquy by Alec Baldwin which is really one for the ages. The film features an All-Star cast, but Baldwin steals the show. I will spare the details, but it's pretty heavy stuff. Also not really one for the kids. Kevin Spacey is as intense as always as the embattled branch manager.

Speaking of Spacey, he also heads up the cast in American Beauty. Annette Bening plays a Realtor who worships one of her colleagues. Buddy Kane, played by Peter Gallagher, is terrific as the overly egotistical guru-to-be. Some of the scenes are to-die-for, laugh-out-loud material. Funny thing is, we ALL know a Buddy Kane, or two, especially in this business.

The Big Short was released in 2015 and more or less covers what happened in the big Real Estate crash in 2018. Another film not recommended for the kiddies, but a can’t-miss film. One of my top-five all-time faves. Watch it, and you’ll see why. Once again, it features a great cast and shows how consumers were duped into buying homes they couldn’t afford by taking on exotic or subprime loans. Some were misinformed. Others were unaware. Either way,, the whole affair created a mess that took years to clean up. The Canadian market was affected but not quite as drastically.

The whole affair is perfectly chronicled here. Awesome A-List cast including Christian Bale and Brad Pitt. A great history lesson in how NOT to do things. 1986 saw the release of The Money Pit. Probably more aptly called 'Every First Time Buyer’s Nightmare.' In true Murphy’s Law tradition, everything that could go wrong did go wrong for these novice homeowners. Tom Hanks and Shelley Long turn in outstanding performances as the troubled neophyte owners, not for the faint of heart or if you have yet to purchase your first home.

In 2009, Jason Segel and Paul Rudd led the cast for 'I Love You Man'. It's mostly about the relationship best buddies have, with one being a Realtor. There are some interesting scenes, to say the least, but the Open House sequence where these two meet is a classic. The film could also be a lesson in best practices for networking. There is no shortage of real estate-related films that touch on the periphery.

There are any number of flicks with real estate references, but this could be some of the best. Especially the first two. Don’t forget your popcorn. Feel free to check out this story and more on my blog site at: https://slackie14.wixsite.com/buy-sell-and-more.