Show of the week: Too Big to Fail

A remarkably well-chosen cast turns the intricacies of the 2008 financial crisis into a brisk, gripping thriller in this adaptation of a best-selling nonfiction book. Peter Gould’s script crackles with mordant wit as it hammers home the catastrophic consequences of rash risks and deregulation. Standout performers include William Hurt as Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, James Woods as Lehman CEO Dick Fuld, and Paul Giamatti as Ben Bernanke. In fact, director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) draws fine work from the entire ensemble. Monday, May 23, at 9 p.m., HBO

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