You probably recall the Panama Papers—those released documents that showed how various individuals and companies set up off-shore shell corporations to dodge what amounted to billions, if not trillions, in taxes worldwide? If not, I understand. It was a major news event that seemed to quickly disappear from view, most likely because media outlets controlled by powerful corporations worked to suppress it. But the people behind this film haven’t forgotten. The movie's title refers to the entire operation as essentially a money laundering process. With an impressive cast of well-known and lesser-known Hollywood actors, Steven Soderbergh’s film inevitably invites comparisons to Adam McKay’s “The Big Short,” both in terms of its topic and its approach. Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas narrate, often speaking directly to the camera—a technique that usually makes you feel like you're privy to a secret, though it isn’t quite as successful as it was in something like "House of Cards." It's hard to say exactly why, but it probably stems from the intricacy of what they're describing. Their characters aren't simply narrators; they are also participants in the story, lawyers who drafted the paperwork and handled the details to get these schemes going. Because of this, they attempt to explain things, sometimes simplifying them, other times with a certain level of detail that leaves you questioning what’s real. Perhaps that was intentional, but it didn't quite succeed as storytelling. The film’s impact is part of its shortcoming. Besides being presented as a comedy when dealing with an incredibly serious topic (the journalist who revealed this story was later killed in a car bombing), the movie doesn’t effectively communicate anger or outrage. It feels more like a mild frustration than genuine indignation. The film fails to convey the seriousness of the situation, which is quite disheartening considering the talent involved and the opportunity to reintroduce this subject into public awareness. While I do acknowledge that the filmmakers deserve credit for attempting to make the complicated money laundering scheme in the Panama Papers understandable for a general audience and keeping it visible, ultimately it feels like an effort made too late.

Source on TMDB