The Big Short (2015)

Directed by: Adam McKay

Written by: Charles Randolph, Adam McKay, & Michael Lewis (novel)

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, & Brad Pitt






So remember how in my last post about Joy, I said I was a Business major, well you need to be something for this film.

Now if you don't know, The Big Short is all about the housing crisis in 2007-2008.  The story centers around four...not men, but other stories I guess that all know that the housing market is going to collapse.  Bale's character, Michael Burry's, story was simple enough in the fact that he makes this prediction and unfortunately faces the heat from all those around him. Jared Vennett (Gosling) somehow finds out through the grapevine about Burry's bet and takes a look into the situation himself.  He's more the narrator.  Then Mark Baum (Carell) is approached by Vennett on accident and comes into this information as well.  As for Ben Rickert (Pitt), he comes across the story through his neighbor that asks for his assistance in handling this situation for betting against the market.  (It isn't really Pitt's story at all as it is for his neighbor and neighbor's friend, but he's a big name so he gets on the poster.)

The way the four stories are put together is perfect.  They flowed nicely together and nothing felt out of place.

The whole movie was great, except for the explanation as to what was going on.  Now if you were young during this crisis, didn't pay attention, or didn't have a mortgage, then you might be lost.  If you were in the midst of this crisis, well hopefully you're doing better now, and you will understand the film.  What made the film difficult to understand was the lingo.  I'm not in the real estate profession, and I have yet to get a mortgage, but I got most of it for being a Business major.  You really have to pay attention to get it.  Now apparently this film was a good explanation as to what was going on because they were, for lack of a better term, dumbing it down.  But I must be really dumb, because it took me at least an hour after the film to actually understand it.

Don't get me wrong, I mostly understood everything, except how these men who bet against the housing market (not really a surprise if you watch the trailer) got their money from these companies if they were apparently broke.  (Hopefully none of this is a spoiler since it's history.  If it is, sorry.) But then I got it, the government did a bailout so that is where these companies acquired the funds to pay these men.  Ahhh, that darn government.  It made sense then.  So hopefully this review will help in understanding the film.  (As for the lingo, I already forgot what they were and their meanings.)  If not, well I'd suggest reading the book?

Other than that, I thought everything else was great from the acting to the camera shots to the directing.  I can see why this was nominated.  4 popcorns.