One of this year's best movies!

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2016)

Though marketed as a comedy, "The Big Short" covers some very serious issues. Based off of the book with the same title, the film goes in great depth of the reasons behind the 2008 economic catastrophe. The focus is on a group of individuals that foresee the economic bubble burst and decide to take advantage of it. Among them are a savvy, but socially awkward hedge fund manager (Christian Bale), a short-tempered, no-nonsense trader (Steve Carell), a banker seeking a huge payday (Ryan Gosling) and two young investors that want to make it big (John Margo & Finn Wittrock) — who enlist the help of a retired trader (Brad Pitt).
The plot jumps from one group of characters to another, covering nearly every angle possible of the behind-the-scenes financial industry that most everyday people do not know or understand. Even though the multiple subplots and some of the technical jargon in the dialog may prove confusing or daunting for the viewer, director Adam McKay and screenwriter Charles Randolph break the subject matter down enough so that the audience can follow along. Often times, they blend humor (such as characters breaking the fourth wall with one- liners or using a chef to explain CDOs) to get their explanations across.
The controversial topic that the movie captures is insanely well-written and the actors perform brilliantly in their roles. Christian Bale went so far into his character that he wore the clothing of the man his performance was based on. However, it is Steve Carell who steals the show. With his disheveled hair and East Coast accent, he is unrecognizable. Like with his work in "Foxcatcher," Carell once again shows that he can do drama. His character has a lot of passion as he tries to make sense of the impending economic disaster. In a way, he becomes the voice of the viewer, wondering how capitalism can spin so far out of control.
The only gripe I have with this movie is the heavy-handed message. Like the 2010 documentary "Inside Job," "The Big Short" paints Wall Street and the banks as the main culprits responsible for the economic ruin. As a result, this gives the audience someone to vilify. Besides this personal opinion, "The Big Short" is an exceptional film and one of this year's best. I am probably in the minority here, but I think this is better than the new "Star Wars" movie. It is a film that both entertains and makes you think.