What makes it different from others?

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

This is a well-crafted and well-acted psychological drama, telling the story of a dysfunctional family and of a young man who is intelligent enough to become really, really stupid. It is also an astute analysis of a financial system in crisis, mired in some of the most egregiously vapid speculation this side of the Dutch Tulip Craze. In this movie there are bubbles bursting all over the place, from the personal level to the societal.Still, the ending leaves a lot to be desired - it could have been a great deal sharper.There is an area where the movie, for all its qualities, falls down badly and that is the use of rhetoric. (I'm using the term loosely.) The young CEO Tom is supposed to be a supreme salesperson, also a supreme bullsh.tter, capable of swaying even the most recalcitrant business partner or client. In fact the words coming out of his mouth aren't all that convincing ; they're not even all that interesting. It's a pretty safe bet that there are falling- down drunk conversations going on in bars right now which contain more invitation or offer more wit and perception. This becomes very clear in the scene where Tom addresses a reunion as a speaker. The sentences coming out of his mouth are basically badly strung together gobbledygook ; and yet his audience listens raptly, as if Churchill himself was giving one of his most rousing and engaging wartime speeches. Credible it is not.

In New York City, during the George W. Bush Administration, handsome tattooed Josh Hartnett (as Thomas "Tom" Sterling) struggles to keep his multi-million dollar "dot.com" business going, after the stock market slides downward in "August" of 2001. His partner, the "creative genius" of the organization, is Adam Scott (as Joshua "Josh" Sterling), a nervous new papa. Mr. Hartnett is optimistic, even when it comes to beautiful brown-skinned ex-girlfriend Naomie Harris (as Sarrah).Singer-musician David Bowie has a cameo, as wheeler-dealer mogul after Hartnett's business.Unfortunately not a great film, but "August" should put director Austin Chick and cinematographer Andrij Parekh on a watch list; their green-hued New York looks rich. Showing off his long torso, Hartnett still needs that great movie role; besides looking good, he performs the unfocused character well. With a tight soundtrack and trendy script ("My bad", "Hey yourself"), this "August" doesn't stick because the short-lived drama is, like Hartnett's character says, "so over" and "way over." ***** August (1/22/08) Austin Chick ~ Josh Hartnett, Adam Scott, Naomie Harris, Robin Tunney

I do understand the markets, I'm studying IT in business right now, and I happened to see this movie. Most of it was like watching paint dry. How the casting director scored Rip Torn and David Bowie is beyond me. The movie is much like a .com company - all hype and no substance. I can just see the guy pitching his scrip right now to the VC's - he probably used that same material when doing the same scene in the movie. This movie rely's heavily on the F-bomb to make its point about businesses - or the lack of sense in business. It could have used witty dialog instead... There are some diamonds in this rough though - when David Bowie tell's you he doesn't like the way you've been handling your personal life, you know you've hit rock bottom!

Watched this movie online on Netflix last night. Strange, the movie was released theatrically July 11,2008 but is not only already on DVD but can be watched instantly on Netflix.So not only are movies straight to video but straight to instant viewing. Fine by me. Terrific movie. Critically panned though. Neither critics or fans understood the product this imploding .com company was selling or the fact that the product didn't matter. The plot in August is beset by ominious news stories preceeding "fall". I thought the movie was terrific. I got it. The scene with David Bowie was SUPERB. I can't tell you enough about his character and the "nose bleed" he gives the protagonist - which comes down to the whole point of the movie and what's important in life. Also important is... the people you crush when rise to the top, you'll see on the way down when you fall. Or however the expression goes. In other words, PLAY NICE.Analysis: Recommend