FilmSnobReviews

Title: The Big Short
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins

What It Is: In 2005 Dr. Michael Burry (Bale) discovered that the entire American housing market is held up by loans that were falsely approved at a higher classification than they should have been. Should a few of these loans default then no big deal, but Burry has estimated that in two years time when the rates increase that a whole lot more of them are going to default. His confidence in this is so high he bets his entire investing firm on it. Jared Vennett (Gosling) uses this to work out his own plan to bet against the banks and after filling in jaded day trader Mark Baum (Carell) and his firm.

What We Think: I love the hell out of this. It is a refreshing, smart and funny script. You can see Adam McKay’s comedy roots and it works. It works so damn well. Gosling is essentially the same smarmy character he was the last time he worked with Steve Carell in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Meanwhile, Carell churns out another great performance during Oscar season. Where Foxcatcher raised the creep factor of what Carell could do. Bale is such a weirdo and it works. Plus he goes straight metalhead in his office. I love the freshness of the edit here. Cutting to various things like Margot Robbie explaining the housing market or Selena Gome going over what a CDO is.

Our Grade: A, Certainly this should get some play come Oscar time. From its wonderful and refreshing take on directing to the performances that leave you satisfied, this is just a great movie. I am recommending this to anyone and everyone. Be on the lookout for my top 10 of 2015 video on our YouTube channel as this film just might be there.