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Movie Review: The Big Short

Danilo Castro

Default swaps, synthetic CDO, and subprime loans are not the first things that come to mind when watching a star-studded Hollywood drama. In fact, unless one happens to be a Wall Street stock advisor, these terms sound like nothing more than a superfluous runaround to ensure that the men in charge stay in charge – at least, that’s how narrator Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) sells it. As the eyes, ears, and big mouth of the audience, smooth trader Vennett takes viewers by the hand and leads them down the parade of corruption, stupidity, and denial The Big Short Posterthat went into the stock market crash of 2008. He also finds time to define all of the previously mentioned terms, so us simple folk can keep up and focus on the terrible events that transpired.

Adapted from Michael Lewis’ 2010 novel of the same name, The Big Short is about as comical as tragedy can get. Bad loans, betting against the system, and whatever else went wrong in the mid 2000s are covered in gritty detail, but screenwriters Charles Randolph and Adam McKay manage to infuse a fantastical flavor of farce, be it through colorful non-sequiturs or the ADD editing that ties each breakneck scene together. Far from the beautiful sincerity of Lewis’ prior screen adaptation, director Bennett Miller’s Moneyball (2011), The Big Short revels in its rambunctious spirit, a more distant relative than close cousin.

This mood separation also spills over into the loaded cast, as Billy Beane actor Brad Pitt returns in a relegated “voice of reason” role. Buried beneath a shaggy beard and a similarly unimpressed demeanor, his portrayal of ex-trader Ben Rickert is the lone stickler of the ensemble, holding up warning signs to scrappy up-and-comers Jamie (Finn Wittrock) and Charlie (John Magaro). Characters that, while composites of real-life people, cleverly break the fourth wall and address their fictitious nature for the sake of cinematic convenience. In a world where biopics are so regularly scrutinized for their lack of authenticity, it’s refreshing to find a film gutsy enough to admit its own shortcuts and move forward with the entertainment.

This trick appears often throughout The Big Short; be it from the inexperienced amateurs or the uber-slick Vennett, who, while narrating the film, finds plenty of time to cash in the movie’s biggest belly laughs. One gem in particular involves Vennett’s viewer assurance that Mark Baum (Steve Carell) did in fact harass a conference speaker before leaving to answer a phone call. Carell’s nasally portrayal of trading expert Baum is spot on, taking the strengths that made The Office’s Michael Scott such a terror and blending them with a true compassion for the victims involved. Each of these characters are flashy and clever, playing the stock market con a la American Hustle (2013), but the film never hesitates to show the depth that every man is capable of in moments of concern.

Most impressive in this regard is Christian Bale’s brilliant and barefoot Dr. Mike Burry. As the man who initially saw the flaws within the housing bubble, his socially inept outsider is the only character who isn’t allowed playtime with the other actors. In fact, much of the Oscar winner’s screen time is spent in a tiny office, blasting grunge metal and fighting off attempts to discredit his findings – but Bale, a world class expert at playing oddballs, rises to the occasion and becomes the berated beating heart behind The Big Short.

Director Adam McKay, best known for Will Ferrell comedies like Step Brothers (2008) and The Other Guys (2010), bursts through any creative ceiling previously placed on his career by skillfully integrating humor with a surprising eye for drama. It’s not perfect, especially with an anticlimactic resolution, but The Big Short flawlessly embodies looking back at a tough time and being able to laugh about it. In some way or another, that’s more important.

Danilo Castro

Freelance writer with an affinity for all things film. But if it's not, that's okay too. Contributor to multiple publications and editor of the Film Noir Archive blog when he's not spending his time watching movies.
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