Director Adam McKay's witty look at the fraudulent and epic failure of the housing market perfectly captures Author Michael Lewis' gripping best seller. A star studded cast helps make The Big Short the perfect Christmas stocking stuffer for the avid theater lover.
Click through for my review of The Big Short.
Adam McKay's wonderful idea to showcase the fall of the market by utilizing celebrities who break the fourth wall is one of the real highlights to the film. McKay's sense of comedic timing is spot on in easily his most profound and important film he's made. The way in which the film looks at the devastation caused by the greedy Big Banks is utterly worth seeing. You don't have to know a single thing about the crash to be completely swept in by The Big Short. In the end you'll leave as crushed and defeated as all of the millions of people who lost money, jobs and even their lives. It's a powerful film that never seems to be as serious as it's quirky jokes and fourth wall breaking. One main reason why this all fits is the tremendous fast pace of the film. Editor Hank Corwin deserves praise for cutting this incredible film. His career is a crazy jump from intriguing directors like Terrence Malick, Robert Redford and Oliver Stone. Now we see him work with the quick mind of McKay and it works to perfection. Check out this scene that illuminates the great back-and-forth acting but also the speed of the film's pace.
That scene also highlights the tremendous talented deep cast that The Big Short has. Yes, Steve Carell and Christian Bale will get a majority of the award hype (and deservedly) but the film is littered with incredible bit parts and roles. And the film isn't just a boys' club. Melissa Leo and Marissa Tomei deliver some of the most important and powerful moments in the film. Leo's "blind" look at the fraudulent system is an amazing scene and Tomei's moments w/ Carell are the finest elements of the movie. But if one character deserves a keen eye, it's Michael Burry, played by Christian Bale.
The real life Burry is an intriguing figure in the last decade and his importance in noticing this failing market is one of the best elements of the film. It takes the visionary folks to unearth the truth behind all the false lies and walls put up, but not all visionary folks are normal or even understandable. Bale's performance is off-kilter and weird and thus completely captivating. A real smart element is to focus on the Burry plot line while the other structures all revolves around a group of intelligent fighters looking to make money. Burry's choices and his final outcome showcase a man truly aware, but also devastated by the impact of the failure of the market.
The Big Short is out today in a theater near you. Do not miss out on this honest, funny and downright crazy story! Especially since it's true and it's about the way Big Banks and our government completely FUCKED US ALL OVER!
For more information on this important film please go, here.
