Plot
Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.
Release Year: 2015
Rating: 8.0/10 (625 voted)
Critic's Score: 73/100
Director: Adam McKay
Stars: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling
Storyline
Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.
Writers: Michael Lewis, Adam McKay
Cast: Karen Gillan -
Evie
Marisa Tomei -
Cynthia Baum
Brad Pitt -
Ben Rickert
Christian Bale -
Michael Burry
Ryan Gosling -
Jared Vennett
Finn Wittrock -
Jamie Shipley
Steve Carell -
Mark Baum
Max Greenfield -
Melissa Leo -
Georgia Hale
Billy Magnussen -
Rafe Spall -
Danny Moses
Sue-Lynn Ansari -
Swimmer
Hamish Linklater -
Porter Collins
Heighlen Boyd -
Dancer
John Magaro -
Charlie Geller
Trivia:
This film cast includes four Oscar winners: Christian Bale, Melissa Leo', Marisa Tomei' and Brad Pitt; and two Oscar nominees: Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 9/10
Reviewed by Larry Gleeson. Viewed during the AFI Filmfest 2015.
"The Big Short," directed by Adam McKay, based on the book by Michael
Lewis, was adapted by McKay and Charles Randolph and made its world
premiere Thursday, November 12, 2015 at the historic TCL Grauman's
Chinese Theater as the closing night film for the latest edition of the
American Film Institute's AFI FEST film festival.
The film's narrative is driven by four cynical, fringe Wall Street
entities disgusted with the large banking institutions' overriding
greed for profits. They make the decision to capitalize on the ensuing
housing market calamity and the financial meltdown of 2008 upon
discovering the market frenzy is being driven by worthless collateral
debt obligations.
McKay chooses to inject a significant dose of humor in the early scenes
to condition the audience receptors for what they are about to
experience. Utilizing the Martin Scorsese docudrama style in a similar
setting with "Wolf of Wall Street," a strong narrative voice dominates
particular moments. Several of these deliberately break the 'Fourth
Wall" in the style of "Wolfie," Jordan Belfort, as the characters,
including a hilarious cameo by Selena Gomez, speak directly into the
camera to explain the complexities of Wall Street finance. The overall
effect adds additional humor and adds another layer in creating a sense
of authenticity and truth about the film's subject matter.
After a rather lengthy dizzying, yet delightful, character
introduction, the film picks up pace as the drama begins to unfold. Dr.
Michael Burry, an eccentric financial analyst, with complete autonomy
of an investment fund, uncovers variables in his economic forecast
indicating a massive housing market collapse. He informs his higher up,
Lawrence Fields, played convincingly by Tracy Letts, of his discovery
and creates a financial prospectus. In essence, he creates a commodity
of selling short on bundled mortgages.
The bankers laugh as they willingly sell Burry all the "insurance" he
wants. Word quickly spreads of Burry's perceived madness in a
after-work cocktail scene. With interest piqued upon overhearing the
Wall Street gossip of the day, Jarred Bennett, portrayed by Ryan
Gosling, scoops up the essence of Burry's move. Soon, he sells a group
led by Steve Carell's all-too-human, Mark Baum to buy in.
As the debacle is in full free-fall, Baum struggles with disbelief as
he and his group have bet against their own umbrella entity, Morgan
Stanley. The final team that has uncovered the impending financial
crisis, made up of two Wall Street neophytes and veteran Ben Rickert,
played by one of the film's producers, Brad Pitt, also struggles with
the imploding financial system caused by corporate greed and
indifference.
With a mammoth cast, McKay draws on a plethora of talent in the likes
of Hollywood A-listers including Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Selena Gomez,
Christian Bale, Karen Gillan Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Melissa Leo
and Finn Wittrock. McKay and Randolph create characters with witty
dialogue coupled with complementary cinematography provided by Barry
Ackroyd. The soundtrack carries a similar tone of "Wolf of Wall
Street," with a compilation of classic rock anthems. Nicholas Britell
widely recognized for his work on Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave,"
where Britell composed on set the on-screen violin performances, work
songs, dances and spiritual songs rarely misses a beat this time out.
Much like another AFI FEST 2015 film, "The Clan," Argentina's official
entry to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Best Foreign
Language Category for Oscar, "The Big Short," musical score is often in
juxtaposition to the the narrative and mies-en-scene adding a deeper
visceral quality to the viewing experience.
In its most basic essence, "The Big Short," builds on the visceral
truth of Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street." It depicts a not-so-long-ago
present where a noble ideal, making home ownership a reality for
Americans, is bastardized by the indifferent market forces of
capitalism. Probably not what Adam Smith had in mind when he penned his
treatise, "The Wealth of Nations." Warmly Recommended.
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