Watch Risk Takers: Meredith Whitney - Bloomberg

Risk Takers: Meredith Whitney - Bloomberg is a documentary that portrays the life of Meredith Whitney, who is an American financial analyst and the CEO of her own firm, Meredith Whitney Advisory Group LLC. The film provides an in-depth look into her life and career as a Wall Street analyst, highlighting her contributions, predictions, and the controversies surrounding them.

The movie is compelling, informative and offers an intimate portrait of Whitney. We learn about her childhood, growing up in New Jersey, and her academic background, attending Brown University and later earning a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University. However, it is her time on Wall Street that is the focus of the film.

Early on in her career, Whitney impressed by her analyses of the financial sector, which she saw as over-leveraged, over-hyped, and ripe for a crisis. Her insights helped her build a reputation as an expert in the industry, and she became a regular commentator on financial news networks, such as CNBC and Fox Business.

However, Whitney became widely known when in 2007, she issued a report that predicted that the financial sector, specifically the bond insurers, would experience a significant downturn. She went on to correctly forecast that Citigroup would need to issue additional shares to raise capital, which happened a few months later. These predictions propelled her to worldwide attention, and she became an influential figure in the financial world.

The film goes to great lengths to explore the factors that contributed to her success. For instance, her blunt communication style, forensic analysis of complex financial data, and a willingness to speak out against the conventional wisdom of the day. We also see the person behind the financial analyst, how she deals with stress, and her hard-working nature. Additionally, the movie depicts her relationship with her husband, which helped her through her controversial predictions.

Despite her success, her predictions regarding municipal bonds led to heated debate and criticism from some quarters. In 2010, she predicted that there would be between 50-100 significant municipal bond defaults, due to the underfunded pension liabilities of local governments. Her forecast was widely criticized, including by the then-New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. However, Whitney's projections ended up being accurate, with many cities and states facing significant financial hardships.

The film highlights the stress and backlash that Whitney faced during this period. Her firm lost clients, and she became a target of criticism from those who felt that her predictions had caused unnecessary fear and panic. Despite the criticism, however, Whitney remained steadfast in her beliefs and continued to carry out her work with the same dedication and intensity.

Overall, Risk Takers: Meredith Whitney - Bloomberg is an engaging and thought-provoking movie that provides a unique insight into a remarkable woman's life and career on Wall Street. It is an excellent watch for anyone interested in finance, entrepreneurship, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. The film is well-executed, and its pacing is just right, keeping the audience engaged throughout.