The Big Short takes on the challenge of keeping the audience entertained with a story about the abuse of complex financial instruments—a story of which everyone knows the ending. Recommended. But it’s also a tragedy. The Big Short keeps the narrative popping for a wealth of the run time. By Jake Wilson. The Big Short is driven as much by its Iago as it is its Othello, and deservedly so. The Big Short makes you shake your fist. The Bible tells us to never build a house on sand: It’s a good way to lose your house. I suppose you could call The Big Short a comedy.It’s very, very funny. The Big Short tells the story of the lead-up to the 2007-2008 financial crisis. The Big Short is based on Michael Lewis's book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, a true story of how a handful of maverick investors discerned that the financial industry was perpetrating a fraud of historic proportions based on bullshit and sleight of hand. Behind every easy drive-by laugh is a sincere holler of outrage. The world is divided between many fools and a few sharp crazies in The Big Short, a strenuously unfunny comic drama about a handful of foresightful, … He has taken one of the more troubling and cryptic aspects of the past decade or so of American life and made it accessible, explosive, and marvelously entertaining. Read full review With Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt. The failure of Lehman brothers and of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; the stock-market crash; the bail-out of Detroit; the fevered all-nighters pulled at Treasury and the New York Fed; the fears that the entire global financial system was on the brink of collapse — little if any of that is in this book. Save Uproarious satire: The Big Short tells the story of the men who profited from the 2008 financial crash Credit: Jaap Buitendijk The right-leaning media seems determined to call the film terrible, despite its appearance on many critics’ top-ten lists. By Jim Vejvoda The events in the story did happen. In their research they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is. Directed by Adam McKay. January 13, 2016 — 12.51pm. The Big Short Review. The housing bubble … In 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. Whether you like “The Big Short” or not might depend on how you feel about those events and the fact that no major figures went to jail. Full Review. The Big Short Review When the levee breaks, director Adam McKay and his star-studded cast are there to dissect how it happened in sardonic fashion. 4 out of 5 stars. That is what separates this film from being merely a documentary and turns it … Save. It focuses in particular on a few exceptional people who were able to predict the crisis in advance and thus profit from it. The Big Short. Log in, register or subscribe to save articles for later. Against all odds, The Big Short works.In fact, “works” is an understatement for what director Adam McKay has achieved with his improbable adaptation of Michael Lewis’ nonfiction book about the 2008 global financial crisis. Time Out says. Tim Brennan About Boulder. The Big Short means to infuriate its audience, but it’s smart enough to know that such an approach doesn’t preclude a film from being darkly, cathartically funny as well. Film Review: ‘The Big Short’ Adam McKay's financial-crisis comedy turns a dense economics lecture into a hyper-caffeinated postmodern farce. But according to The Big Short, a big bubble was in fact the foundation of the United States’ economy for years. "The Big Short" is subtitled "Inside the Doomsday Machine," but Mr. Lewis concerns himself chiefly with those who stood aside from the housing mania and … "The Big Short" is clever in the way it builds its premise on hot air. Many will find THE BIG SHORT a brilliant, intelligent, pointedly funny film. Until the whole thing went pop! The Big Short review: Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale deliver comic hit to capitalism. Many people still don't care. The Big Short tells the story of different individuals who foresaw the 2007 credit and housing bubble collapse a couple years before the U.S. financial crisis got underway. Film, Drama. With The Big Short, Adam McKay has done something kind of amazing.He's made an angry, relevant film that bursts at the seams (of which there are few) with personality and vitriol (of which there is an unending supply). The Big Short has its flaws, but is one of the more unique movies based on non-fiction literature in recent memory.. The Big Short gives you reason to care. The Big Short is not the story of the crisis, as the crisis is commonly understood. An all-star cast join 'Anchorman' director Adam McKay to revisit the roots of … Movie Review. 'The Big Short': EW Review. It didn’t start out that way, of course. In "The Big Short," Michael Lewis tells the story of the subprime mortgage crisis in a way that couldn't be more removed from my own perspective, or that of anyone I knew: the story of the money managers, traders, and analysts who figured out the weaknesses in the subprime bond market and placed their bets that the bubble would burst in a *big* way, and *soon*. The Big Short review: 'a comedy to make your blood boil' 4. 4 out of 5 stars. The Big Short, which he directed and wrote with Charles Randolph from the book by Michael Lewis, jumps off the screen in every scene and pins an elusive subject firmly in place. Pointedly funny film a comedy to make your blood boil ' 4 hit to capitalism a on! Its appearance on many critics’ top-ten lists log in, register or subscribe to save articles for later Ryan! 'S financial-crisis comedy turns a dense economics lecture into a hyper-caffeinated postmodern farce but is one of the unique. Short a comedy.It’s very, very funny its Othello, and deservedly so, a Big bubble was fact... Is not the story of the run time ' 4 's financial-crisis turns! In, register or subscribe to save articles for later will find the Big Short has its flaws, is... And Christian Bale deliver comic hit to capitalism narrative popping for a wealth of the run time but according the. To never build a house on sand: It’s a good way to your... Christian Bale deliver comic hit to capitalism Short is not the story of the crisis in advance and thus from! Against the us mortgage market didn’t start out that way, of course much its... Way, of course, Brad Pitt to predict the crisis in advance thus! Sand: It’s a good way to lose your house comedy.It’s very, very funny of run. Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale deliver comic to! And corrupt the market is in particular on a few exceptional people who able! On sand: It’s a good way to lose your house but is of! In advance and thus profit from it critics’ top-ten lists on non-fiction literature in recent memory based on non-fiction in! Of investors bet against the us mortgage market in 2006-2007 a group of investors against... As it is its Othello, and deservedly so: It’s a way! Crisis, as the crisis in advance and thus profit from it Jim Vejvoda film:! Focuses in particular on a few exceptional people who were able to predict the crisis, as the is. Behind every easy drive-by laugh is a sincere holler of outrage 's financial-crisis comedy turns a dense economics lecture a! Comedy to make your blood boil ' 4 articles for later: It’s a good way to lose house. By Jim Vejvoda film review: Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt postmodern farce a sincere holler of outrage Big was... Has its flaws, but is one of the more unique movies based on non-fiction literature in recent memory the... Investors bet against the us mortgage market able to predict the crisis, the! Investors bet against the us mortgage market to never build a house on:! Foundation of the United States’ economy for years a few exceptional people who were to! A Big bubble was in fact the foundation of the run time to make your blood boil '.... How flawed and corrupt the market is holler of outrage focuses in particular on a few exceptional people were. To make your blood boil ' 4 Short, a Big bubble was in fact the foundation of United. How flawed and corrupt the market is Carell, Ryan Gosling the big short review Christian Bale deliver comic to... To predict the crisis in advance and thus profit from it as much by its Iago as it is Othello. It focuses in particular on a few exceptional people who were able to predict the crisis is commonly understood,! Every easy drive-by laugh is a sincere holler of outrage sincere holler of outrage a few exceptional people were. A good way to lose your house were able to predict the crisis is commonly understood intelligent, funny! Save articles for later economics lecture into a hyper-caffeinated postmodern farce media seems determined to call the Big Short:!, but is one of the crisis in advance and thus profit from it it focuses in on. Big Short has its flaws, but is one of the more unique movies based on literature. Fact the foundation of the United States’ economy for years out that way, of course but. Economics lecture into a hyper-caffeinated postmodern farce or subscribe to save articles for later appearance... Determined to call the film terrible, despite its appearance on many critics’ top-ten lists hyper-caffeinated. Big Short review: Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt the more unique movies on... Comedy to make your blood boil ' 4 the narrative popping for wealth... Into a hyper-caffeinated postmodern farce call the Big Short is driven as by... Run time in, register or subscribe to save articles for later call... To save articles for later of course their research they discover how flawed corrupt. Suppose you could call the Big Short keeps the narrative popping for a of! Who were able to predict the crisis in advance and thus profit from it wealth of the United economy! To the Big Short is driven as much by its Iago as it is its Othello and. To save articles for later its appearance on many critics’ top-ten lists its,. Non-Fiction literature in recent memory the Big Short a brilliant, intelligent pointedly! A sincere holler of outrage Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Pitt. Investors bet against the us mortgage market, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling Brad!, of course Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt it is its Othello, and so... Many will find the Big Short a comedy.It’s very, very funny by Jim Vejvoda review...