The Big Short

The Big Short is a movie about a potentially boring subject: Mortgage investing on Wall Street. It's based on a book by author Michael Lewis who also wrote books Moneyball and The
Blindside, which were also nominated for Best Picture.

The wonderful thing about The Big Short is that it had a secret weapon: writer / director Adam McKay. I would not have picked him to make this movie based on his prior movies: Anchorman (1 and 2), Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys. He has produced many movies, but his directing experience is aimed in the heart of the comedy genre. And he seems at home there. I love his comedies, and am a fan of all of them. Even if they're not "critically acclaimed", they're hysterical. So, when I first began hearing and reading that he was directing The Big Short, something told me it was going to be good. It's a movie of obvious voracious passion.

The Big Short is nominated for 5 Oscars: Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Directing (Adam McKay), Supporting Actor (Christian Bale), and Best Picture.

The Good:

This movie is comprised of fascinating characters played by fascinating actors. Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Christian Bale stuck out to me. Steve Carrell plays an emotionally wounded investor named Mark Baum. Ryan Gosling is a cartoonishly jazzed up banker named Jared Vennett, and Christian Bale is an eccentric number-crunching investor named Michael Burry. Their colleagues, friends, and family are also played by an incredibly strong cast of supporting players.

I think McKay knew that the effectiveness of The Big Short would be in people understanding the complex subject of mortgage investment in the early 2000's. That's obviously an extremely difficult subject to make entertaining, as it does not involve guns, Batman, light sabers, or any lavish special effects. This is where McKay's directing genius shines and elevates The Big Short to success. Financial explanations come fast and furious, in quirky fashions. Things like shorts, CDO's, and investment laws are explained by stars and bubble baths. There are multiple times in which characters break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience to explain things too boring for drawn out scenes. The way it's edited and performed makes these techniques a blast to watch. I've seen similar techniques in other movies fall flat or come across totally awkward.

The Bad:

Lots of foul language, some nudity, and adult themes of early 2000's financial investment greatly limit the audience for this movie. Keep kids far away. In fact, I don't exactly know how to categorize this movie because it's not exactly a comedy, or a drama. I wouldn't recommend it for a date night, necessarily.

Although, it could be a good conversation starter with your date. So, on second thought, take a date to see the Big Short and you and your date can be fully enthralled and entertained by the financial crisis and sub sequential government bail out of 2008. How many date movies can say that?