The Big Short, an Emotional Oxymoron

Rating: 9/10 (22 February 2017)

Few Americans were left exempt from the 2007-08 housing crash that would spark the largest economic recession since the 1930's Wall Street fiasco. Adam McKay's satirical comedy The Big Short highlighted the twisted realities that a detached populous inherits when Wall Street bankers are left to their own devices not through the heartbreaking imagery of a shattered middle America, but rather the antics of the very hedge fund managers that foresaw and profited from their demise.
These glorified Vegas gamblers were played by the film's star studded cast including Steve Carrell as the loud-mouthed watch dog Mark Baum, Ryan Gosling as the swanky mover-and-shaker Jared Venett, and Brad Pitt as the former Wall Street cutthroat turned moral-compass-wielding white knight Ben Rickert. While each of these gentlemen embraced their roles near flawlessly, the standout performance was stolen by the Nostradamus of the housing bubble, Christian Bale. In his transformational role as Dr. Michael Burry, Bale captures the eccentricity of a man dismissed as a lunatic by his peers and clients in such a way that the viewer sympathizes in the marvel of his genius.
The performances by the A-List ensemble were accompanied by a magnificently selected and well-timed soundtrack that was the musical embodiment of the pre-Recession arrogance that was America's financial system. While dizzying at times, the choppy scene shots, quick camera movement, and real world video insertions serve as foreshadowing of the extent of the chaos looming beneath the feet of the unsuspecting global economy while displaying McKay's distinctive style.
When developing the screenplay, the film's writers had to overcome the hurdle that lay at the root of the housing market crash itself, the Average Joe's lack of understanding of what the hell these Wall Street snobs were doing behind the curtain. McKay masterfully accomplishes this by incorporating on-screen vocabulary and unique video cuts featuring the likes of Selena Gomez playing blackjack and Margot Robbie in a bubble bath. These offer both explanations for the financial jargon being tossed around in layman's terms and poke at American pop culture's obsession with celebrity activity while adding a stylistic eccentricity in line with the rest of film.
Despite being tagged as an R-Rated comedy with an array of profane language, housing tycoon strippers, and fourth-wall breaking character monologues like those found in Carrell's hit series The Office, The Big Short transcends playful political satire. Each on-screen act of careless greed re-opens middle America's emotional scarring inflicted by the Great Recession and leaves viewers with sobering recollections of distrust and uncertainty that continue to ripple through cultural and political discussion today. While butter-doused popcorn alongside your favorite boxed candy and a monstrous fountain soda are clear necessities to properly enjoy this must-see satirical film revolving around pompous American culture, be sure to pack a toothbrush and some Altoids for the bitter taste that will be left in your mouth after watching.