Jesse Eisenberg is Fast Talking Hustler in The Hummingbird Project

You know what they say, it’s not the destination…it’s the people we meet.  Jesse Eisenberg earned an Oscar nod as the fast talking Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network.  This time he’s another fast talking entrepreneur (Vincent) building a fiber optic line from Kansas to New Jersey attempting to change the speed of data and striking a deal on Wall Street in the world of High Frequency Trading.  Along with his cousin Anton (Alexander Skarsgard), who once worked for a big company run by the ruthless Eva Torres (Salma Hayek), Vincent and Anton hatch a plan and technology to take her down by any means necessary.

Jesse Eisenberg is a master or monologues of dialogue without taking a breath.  It’s effortless and effective which makes Eisenberg fascinating to watch no matter what film he is in.  Salma Hayek is diabolically delicious as Eva Torres, who ironically wears white in every scene except one where she threatens Anton’s life as he sits in a hot tub.  Alexander Skarsgard is like a quiet, tech giant in his portrayal of Anton.  So, it’s hilarious when he get caught by the FBI and makes a run for it through the tennis courts like a child running from their parents trying to make him eat his vegetables.

Kim Nguyen does a great job navigating shooting most of these scenes in the Canadian mountains, but the first half of the film drags just a tad.  It’s only when Anton separates himself from Eva that things get interesting.

The Hummingbird Project is a fascinating tale of what happens when Wall Street becomes entangled in technology for not the progress it will make on the world, but for the greed and ego that money enhances in the process.  Produced by The Orchard, The Hummingbird Project was released on March 15th.