The Big Short (2015) Movie Review

Summary: Four denizens in the world of high-finance predict the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s, and decide to take on the big banks for their greed and lack of foresight.

Director: Adam McKay

Writers: Charles Randolph (screenplay), Adam McKay (screenplay), Michael Lewis (book)

Stars: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Marisa Tomei, John Magaro, Finn Wittrock

This easily portrays one of the most tragic financial crisis since the Great Depression. The stunning part of it all is the angle it took to portray the tragedy. Who would’ve guessed that comedy, Adam McKay’s weapon of choice, was going to help the crew pull off one of the best retellings to hit the box office? An unbelievable cast of actors also served as a great foundation to build this magnificent movie. From Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell to the best performance by a supporting actor Oscar nominee, Christian Bale, this movie was filled with an elite arsenal of talents and there was nothing to reproach from each and every one of them. Let’s not even forget that Brad Pitt joins into the fun with a cameo role that carries a relatively big part in the whole financial disaster that they will all know, inside and out.

The Big Short tackles some of the most complex terminologies in the housing market (well, at least it’s what they want you to believe) with pure efficiency. Using random, but intriguing characters—Yes, Margot Robbie, I’m looking at you—to explain collateralized debt obligations or subprime loans among other things, this movie perfectly presents the complex world of economy so that any person can grasp the essence of it and be lead, hand in hand, into the cruel, corrupted and despicable world of finance. If you thought mortgages, loans and the housing market were icky, then be prepared to see it’s green, oozy filth with The Big Short. I simply adored the diverse analogies that were used to help viewers understand CDOs and what not. From the use of Jenga to fish stew, nothing seemed absurd once the presentation was over.

The biggest stand-out performance is unquestionably Christian Bale. Playing the extremely socially-awkward wizard with numbers, he showed viewers that talent can take any role thrown at them. Being the very individual who saw the financial crisis that was bound to happen in 2007-2008, he devised an incredibly ridiculous plan to “short” the housing market. While the plan seemed foolish to his superiors and counterparts, every single firm he approached played along with his desire to dump billions of dollars for something that seemed safe. Only thing they didn’t know is that the institution itself was on the verge of becoming an absolute disaster. The best part of it all is that the “big short” wasn’t the biggest surprise for those who saw the impending crisis coming. SPOILER HERE: Hover over text to read. While the movie was strong in the comedy department, it still managed to convey powerful and stunning moments. Sometimes, you just have to laugh at the insane to fully comprehend it.

Nevertheless, credit needs to be given to every single actor in this movie. They each managed to embody a character to perfection. Steve Carell’s character, for example, did a magnificent job to be the moral compass that saw everything unfold before him while being in the very heart of it. His breakdowns were absolutely genuine and captured the very soul-crushing truth behind the economy. The Big Short does an amazing job at portraying a tragic story with a comedic take. Even through the witty jokes and the goofy characterizations, the ambiance of the movie excelled in conveying a crisis with great flair.