Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer

R

Released Nov 5, 2010

1 hr. 57 min.

Documentary

List

90%

70 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the late 2000s, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is a rising star in the Democratic Party. He's a no-nonsense politician and former attorney general who holds corporations accountable for unethical business practices. But, just one year after he becomes governor, Spitzer resigns after being outed as a frequent client of an expensive and elite escort service. Along with political colleagues and friends, a remorseful Spitzer talks about how his infidelity affected his life and career.

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Critics Consensus

Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer finds director Alex Gibney once again probing the dark corners of politics with thought-provoking insights and hard-hitting evidence.

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Audience Member

Great documentary about one of the great tragedies of our time. Hubris derailed what could have been a progressive uprising in our country not seen since FDR.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

-Sigh- Will The a Business World Ever Learn? Or Even Listen? Dishearteningly Honest & Unfortunately Very Real. The Public Taken As Suckers Thrown A Version Of The Story Those In Power Want You To Hear..Yet Peak Behind The Political Power Machine Curtain Of The USA Economy & You See The Ugly Truth. Their Are No Winners Here, Just Liars, Cheats, Fools & Follies. How Ever Will We Learn When Money Is The End Game & Hedonism Is The Vice. Both Sides In This Tale (Democrats & Republicans) As Bad As Each Other..Apparently The Political Swamp Was To Be Drained (By Trump) But I Don't See Any Change..This Documentary, 10-Years On Looks Oh So Familiar Today. Just The Names & Faces Have Changed. Compelling Viewing, Even If It Is Depraved. :-(

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Structurally, it's not Gibney's strongest work, but Client 9 offers another important layer to the filmmaker's growing work in dissecting the imbalances of our society and how we fit in them. Mostly, though, Gibney has a true knack to expose evil in a very down-to-earth yet utterly terrifying way.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The main difference between this and many other documentaries is in the way that all the main players are allowed just to say what they want on the subject. There was no grilling by a biased interviewer harassing a certain interviewee, just to make him/her feel uncomfortable or to get a quick and cheap reaction. There was so much involved in the fall of Eliot Spitzer and that should be the main focus here. The inner workings of the politics that rule our world are both fascinating and disgusting. In the end, it's all about money and power. Somewhere Frank Underwood is smiling proudly. Well done boys. Well done.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ex-post-facto Spitzer is likable and eloquent. Fortunately, the news footage and interviews with his opponents showcase his epic hubris. The "two Spitzers" create strong counterpoints in this compelling narrative.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Gripping documentary. This guy pissed off alot of people and they came back for vengeance.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

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Alex Gibney

Director

Alex Gibney

Narrator

Eliot Spitzer

Former Governor, New York

Wrenn Schmidt

Angelina

Roger Stone

Political Consultant

Kim Allen

Times Square Lip-Sync Singer

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Philip French

Guardian

It's a riveting story of personal hubris and political chicanery.

Mar 7, 2011

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Scary, fascinating stuff.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 3, 2011

Full Review

Matt Bochenski

Little White Lies

Alex Gibney has a knack for telling great stories in a lucid fashion, and this story's a good 'un.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 3, 2011

Full Review

Scott Raab

Esquire Magazine

If Client 9 - as slow and static as a film can be - has anything going for it, it's hearing these sad sacks share their venereal wisdom.

Oct 18, 2018

Full Review

Laura Hiros

Rincón de cine

Oscar winner Alex Gimbey (Taxi To The Dark Side, Freakonomics) does an excellent job of unraveling the skein of corruption and abuse that blanketed the life of what appeared to be an incorruptible man. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Mar 17, 2018

Full Review

Simon Miraudo

Quickflix

Client-9 ... is a fascinating, if occasionally fawning, character study of the man who would be king.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 17, 2011

Full Review

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Synopsis

In the late 2000s, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is a rising star in the Democratic Party. He's a no-nonsense politician and former attorney general who holds corporations accountable for unethical business practices. But, just one year after he becomes governor, Spitzer resigns after being outed as a frequent client of an expensive and elite escort service. Along with political colleagues and friends, a remorseful Spitzer talks about how his infidelity affected his life and career.

Director: Alex Gibney
Executive Producer: Robert DeBitetto, Robert Sharenow, Molly Thompson
Screenwriter: Alex Gibney
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: A&E IndieFilms, Jigsaw Prods., Wider Film Projects
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Sexual Material)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 5, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $187.5K

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