Payday Loans Movie to be Released by the End of the Year

Trey Ellis on The Appointment

economy

The director of a new movie about predatory loans in America says the film is as much about the US economy as it is about its characters. Trey Ellis, director of The Last Appointment, which was shot mostly in Baltimore, said he wanted to tell a story about "how the economy is affecting people whose lives are already affected by the economy". He added: "The American economy is very directly affecting some people's lives. It's not even abstract."

Mr Ellis said he had no intention of making a documentary. "We wanted to make a quality dramatic film that would be entertaining and useful," he said.

The movie stars Michael Underwood and Lynn Whitfield, who play an African-American loan officer and her husband, a struggling salesman. They take out what they think is a small personal loan to help pay off their debts, but end up with a more expensive package that comes with high monthly payments. They find out that if they default on the loan, they will lose their home and savings.

The movie was shot in collaboration with Arkansas Federal Credit Union.