By Thomas Cottingham
Contributing Writer
Director Adam McKay, who is known for the raunchy comedies Anchorman and Step Brothers, certainly does not leave his cynical sense of humor behind while discussing the 2008 financial crisis in “The Big Short.”
Based on the book “The Big Short,” McKay’s film adaptation tackles the events leading up to the financial crisis. The true story focuses on four bankers who foresee the housing crisis, choose to bet against the big banks and invest in the entire American economy to collapse.
Thanks to an amazing cast including Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt, the movie is not just easy to understand but is also entertaining and funny. Bale sinks right into his role and Carell plays a dynamic performance as an angry and stressed-out banker. Gosling plays a fast-talking Wall Street investor that cuts straight to the point.
The characters break the fourth wall, or acknowledge the audience, to speak about specific terms such as subprime mortgages. It is fast-paced, so if you don’t pay attention, you’re likely to miss the hilarious scene where Gosling gives the pitch to his master plan.
The setting is well put together and gives a strong 21st-century business atmosphere. From the brown, wooden office desks to the files of large papers around the room, the film excels at capturing the mood of business offices in the mid-2000s.
The movie is funny most of the time but dramatic at the right times. From the transition between a joyous scene in Vegas to a sorrowful moment at the destroyed Wall Street buildings, the timing of events is spot on.
There are a few things a little off with the picture, however. The camera can get a little too gimmicky towards the end because of the intention to make the recording look unprofessional.
Tying up loose ends between the two amateur bankers could have been better written, but overall “The Big Short” is one of the better movies that ended 2015. It is not only entertaining, but it is also informative about a piece of recent history.
Cottintf14@bonaventure.edu
