The Big Short (January 2016)

Official Australian release date: 14/1/16. Viewed: 16/1/16.

Director: Adam McKay

Actors: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt

Genre: Drama

Rating: M     

Based on the true story of how the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) came about from 2005–2008, ‘The Big Short’ tells the story really well by mixing humour, facts (delivered in an unconventional way by celebrities) and following four tenuously-linked groups who have skin in the game. Vennett (Gosling) introduces us at the start of 2005, via a unique fourth-wall-breaking monologue, placing the players on the field – I’m using this terminology, as most of the film (and Wall Street in general) can be likened to gambling. It may sound boring on the surface – a film about banking and finance – but it does a great job of explaining the terminology in simple terms, whilst not being condescending about it.

The groups involved are Burry (Bale), a fund manager and prodigy of sorts, who first sees the housing bubble and notices that the big banks have been over-valuing mortgages (sub-prime). Baum (Carell) and his small company are offered the opportunity to “short” the banks’ mortgages by Vennett. Geller (Magaro) & Shipley (Wittrock), two young entrepreneurs, who seek help from their mentor, retired Wall St mogul Rickert (Pitt) also pick up on what’ happening and get in on the action. It’s great to see the banks gleefully taking their money, being so cocky and greedy, only to have it all blow up in their faces two years later.

I think Carell, not Bale, should have been Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actor! Baum serves as the film’s moral centre and calls everyone on their fraudulent behaviour. The film almost acts as a documentary when it delves down to the individual family level and makes you truly realise how little these large corporations care for other humans. The most bittersweet part is the ending – “and then the crooks went to jail, Congress brought in reform and the fraudulent system was overhauled – just joking! They didn’t go to jail, Congress was lobbied so no reform was passed and the big banks were bailed out by the taxpayers” – funny, sad, and true. Really makes you think, but is also a well-made film with excellent acting.

Overall: Great film – energetic and interesting.

Gav's Rating: 4 stars.