Can a star-studded Netflix drama really expose the dark matter of global finance?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Steven Soderbergh’s 2019 film The Laundromat attempts to demystify the complex world of shell companies and tax havens. By dramatizing the Panama Papers scandal, the film uses a high-profile cast to illustrate how global corruption touches everyday lives, though its blunt, satirical approach left critics divided and sparked legal backlash.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Z. Burns, The Laundromat is based on Jake Bernstein’s book Secrecy World. The film employs a narrative structure featuring the real-life law firm founders Jürgen Mossack and Ramón Fonseca as guides through three distinct, partially fictionalized stories of individuals impacted by their company’s operations. These vignettes range from a widow seeking insurance compensation after a tragic boating accident to an African billionaire’s daughter caught in a shell-company scheme, and a dramatization of the events surrounding the death of Neil Heywood in China.

The film’s tone is intentionally arch and wonkish, aiming to expose what Soderbergh describes as the dark matter of our socio-economic life. By highlighting how shell companies and fake trusts operate, the director hopes to inoculate viewers against ignorance regarding who truly owns the real estate and businesses in their own neighborhoods. However, this approach faced significant criticism. Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 41% approval rating, with many arguing that the film’s unfocused, blunt delivery undermined its message. Additionally, the production drew controversy for its use of brownface, specifically Meryl Streep’s secondary role as a Panamanian woman.

The release of the film was not without real-world legal friction. In October 2019, just days before its Netflix premiere, Mossack and Fonseca sued the streaming giant, claiming the film was defamatory. A U.S. District Court judge ultimately rejected their attempt to block the release, ruling that the film was protected under the First Amendment. Despite the legal victory and the film’s star-studded cast—including Gary Oldman, Antonio Banderas, and Jeffrey Wright—the project remains a polarizing example of how Hollywood attempts to translate dense, systemic financial corruption into accessible, albeit contentious, political satire.

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