A numbers prodigy predicts the housing bubble that led to the famous sub-prime crisis of 2008 years in advance & three other groups, after gaining access to his analysis, do additional research and end up on the sunny side of the collapse by betting against the greedy fraudulence of Wall Street bankers through buying Credit default swap shorts against the mortgage backed securities, which others perceive to be foolproof against failures.
Language:
English
Running Time:
130 min
Rating:
R
Release date:
23 December 2016
Directed by:
Adam McKay
Produced by:
Dede Gardner
Jeremy Kleiner
Arnon Milchan
Brad Pitt
Written by:
Adam McKay
Charles Randolph
Based on:
The Big Short by
Michael Lewis
Starring:
Christian Bale
Steve Carell
Ryan Gosling
Brad Pitt
John Magaro
Finn Wittrock
Hamish Linklater
Rafe Spall
Music by:
Nicholas Britell
Shot by:
Barry Ackroyd
Editing by:
Hank Corwin
Distributed by:
Paramount Pictures

What’s Hot

  • This one’s a marvelous depiction of events in the Investment banking world through the eyes of a few men who could see past the obvious. In a technical sense, the film is a documentary but the directorial style and screenplay technique adopted by Adam McKay & Charles Randolph (also Michael Lewis, the author of the book that the film adapts from) are kick-ass that you are entertained big time even as you get educated.
  • Like Spotlight, the film’s casting is faultless with exceptional talents like Christian Bale (whose Michael Burry earns our awe for his skills & our sympathy as he gets fooled around by the system), Steve Carell (whose Mark Baum keeps our hope on humanity alive) and Ryan Gosling (whose Jared Vennett represents the upright lot of the ambitious young bankers) using their screen-time to enhance the film’s sway on us.
  • The supporting cast too makes its presence felt as Brad Pitt leads it with a restrained performance that works admirably well supported ably by Jeremy Strong, John Magaro & Finn Wittrock .
  • The editing style adopted by Hank Corwin, alongside the unconventional voice-overs that McKay has put in, makes you feel like you are watching a Scorsese-Schoonmaker collaboration. That, obviously, becomes an instant plus to the film.
  • The wise choices adopted by Barry Ackroyd in terms of the close-up shots of Berry & his computer monitor, wide shots of Vennett and the crowded atmosphere around him, Baum and his tiny unit make a mark in complementing the definition of these characters.
  • Dialogues add their spoonful of magic to this concoction with witty analogies provided by celebrity guest stars to explain some of the complex Wall Street terms. Who wouldn’t like Selena Gomez explain synthetic Collaterized Debt Obligations from a casino table or Margot Robbie in a bathtub explaining sub-prime mortgages comparing it with shit?!

What’s Not

  • Even though the film puts its earnest efforts in explaining the technicalities, its pace doesn’t allow us enough time to assimilate all the jargon that get thrown in. A primer in the form of viewing Margin Call or another film on the same subject might help.

Badges

Screenplay
Editing
Acting

Verdict

Verdict Stamp

The Big Short goes bullish with its unconventional treatment of the colossal ‘sub-prime’ crisis and succeeds gratifyingly backed by a striking cast that puts together its best foot forward in educating and entertaining us – all at the same time