The Queen of Versailles

Around the time of the 2008 stock market crash, Lauren Greenfield was shooting a documentary on the Siegel family, who raked in millions during the housing-market bubble. They pushed the profits toward a 90,000-square-foot home that was still under construction during the crash, becoming a deadweight as the Siegels veered toward financial ruin. The Great Recession presented Greenfield with one hell of an inciting incident: Her characters must change, lest they get swept up and dumped out by a world that can't facilitate their lifestyle anymore. At first, the film resembles a reality TV show, but the results prove far more compelling. Rather than placing judgment, events unfold without intervention. The Queen of Versailles is a detailed snapshot of the nation's financial turmoil, presented through a couple who attained the American dream only to see it decay into an abject nightmare.