The Big Short

So that was the Oscars! Leo finally won, Spotlight took best picture over The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road managed (and rightfully) won six awards. Another winner amongst the big names was Adam McKay's The Big Short for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The film takes us back just over ten years to a world of high-finance before the housing collapse and all that came with it. Christian Bale and Ryan Gosling are among the few who see this coming and realise there might be an opportunity to profit from the upcoming storm. 

Critics have generally praised this film for its sharp writing and its treatment of the subject matter, and I agree for the most part. The Big Short is another sharply-written drama with elements of humour, similar to The Wolf of Wall Street, offering a well-rounded experience. 

Broken into three different groups who rarely cross paths are Christian Bale's informally dressed data wizard, a slick Ryan Gosling with a cynical Steve Carell, and an eager duo in the shape of John Magaro and Finn Wittrock with the assistance of a weathered Brad Pitt. Performance-wise, this is a generally stellar film but I am a little baffled how Christian Bale received an Oscar nomination over Steve Carell, when this really is his film. 

Combining these scenes with comical cameos, McKay does a great job in keeping the story fresh and engaging. That said, there are times where too much information is thrown to the audience but these moments are few and are generally explained in detail later on. Not having researched into the subject before watching, I was still able to keep up and enjoy the show. 

If you're not into talky films then steer clear but for those looking to learn more about this period in recent history or just for a good drama, The Big Short is spot on.