THE BIG SHORT
Directed by Adam McKay
Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
Based On The Book bY: Michael Lewis
Starring: Christian Bale; Steve Carell; Ryan Gosling; and Brad Pitt
Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to bet against the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.
It is almost irritating to watch this film. To watch greed. To watch cover ups. To watch how the government will protect itself before protecting it's people. It is all just hard to watch, and at the end you just sit and stare at the screen in total sadness. However I am not saying it was not well done.
The good:
Shockingly this film is directed by Adam McKay. Yes Anchorman....Talladega Nights...Step Brothers, that Adam McKay. And he does the best he can with the not so...I guess...flamboyant..material. He fully understands that this film is packed with information that more than half the audience will not understand. Because of this he almost makes fun of the audience. He understands that the average American knows more about entertainment than what their own money is doing. He uses that by braking the fourth wall and having people like Margo Robbie in a bubble bath explain things. It is hilarious and sad at the same time!!!
The acting in this film, as you can imagine with the star power is fantastic. Steve Carell is getting the most notice for his wonderful performance but also please note a great performance here by a socially awkward Christian Bale.
The problem, and a big problem is.....tension. There is no tension. You really do not care for anyone (except maybe Brad Pitts character) here. Even tough you do not want them to succeed, you understand what has to happen for them to succeed. It is a problem from the start. A big problem. I do not get into politics on this blog, but I thought of President Obama often here. I always think, because of his background in community affairs, he underestimates corporate greed often. This is basically corporate greed and government cover ups. And I think of Obama because as the film says...things really have not changed.
Look at Spotlight. Like The Big Short, a tough subject. Going in you know the end game. However you really are cheering for the reporters because they are making a change. Doing the right thing. Here....not so much. 3 1/2 stars out of 5 for this well acted and directed film that needed editing.
Interesting subject....and yes critics are saying one of the best films. I think this is one of those films, that I say often, are critic sheep films, where they do not want to look stupid so they fall in line with other critics and say it is the best. Me? I will be honest with you, probably wait until home viewing. As a matter of a fact it probably should have been an HBO film.
If you are interested in seeing what the ramifications of all this is watch a film available for home viewing called 99 Homes. Starring Michael Shannon who just got a Globe Nomination for the film.
Again it is greed and it shows more people turning a profit on others loss.
Well from the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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