Indeed, monetary policy seems largely impotent about turning a deep recession in 2008 into a powerful recovery in 2012.

FORBES: Obama Will Owe His 2nd Term In Part to Bernanke's QE

But a chief risk officer is impotent if he is nothing more than a glorified compliance chief, as is still the case at many banks.

ECONOMIST: How banks can improve their approach to risk management

Amid the overkill, there are scenes of a sudden and startling beauty, and the impotent ranks of teachers are played by a cast of surprising (if underused) power, including Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, Blythe Danner, William Petersen, Lucy Liu, a tweedy Tim Blake Nelson, and, best of all, James Caan.

NEWYORKER: Movies