Watch
The Big Short

The Big Short

2015
Comedy
Drama
2h 10m
Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed. (imdb)
Your probable score
?

The Big Short

2015
Comedy
Drama
2h 10m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 62.86% from 5137 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(5137)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 14 Jun 2016
95
84th
Really really great movie. The Big Short plays a pretty dang good tribute to what happened and makes you a little angrier about the whole thing just watching some of it happen. Adam Mckay's directing is different and better than his other comedies and it works well. Everybody pulls off their given roles very well and I liked the story and characters. Some comic relief is in there to go along with it too. For sure one of the best and most entertaining movies of 2015.
Rated 30 Dec 2015
90
97th
An angry, cynical, and ultimately sad/depressing tale told thru the filter of the Oliver Stone School of Vertical Editing which jumps thru time via pop culture imagery and photojournalism. Brilliant. No I Told You So's--just a 500% ROI and millions of broken lives stacked on top of a static, fascist, industrio-governmental modus operandi. There is a vigor that comes from characters rejecting solipsism, straining away self-doubt, and accepting grisly truths--this is truly the way things are. Wow.
Rated 08 Jun 2016
75
65th
*Puts on big thick glasses and leans back in chair* "I saw 8 boobs during this"
Rated 28 Dec 2015
9
92nd
The financial jargon and drama is thick and constant, but phenomenally and entertainingly packaged: The editing sizzles with both comedic and dramatic potency (lots of abrupt scene cuts and charming pop culture potpourri), the script is both serious and snicker-worthy (4th-wall breaks and snarky narration lie alongside tense moral exploration), and the big three put their acting chops on full display through some fantastic characters (the eccentric Michael, fiery Mark, and douche-y Jared).
Rated 27 Dec 2015
88
93rd
Extra points because how in the lord did they make subprime loans and mortgage failures into a smart, interesting, funny and disturbing film? Ensemble cast is wonderful, McKay's directing is great if unsubtle and the editing is to die for.
Rated 13 Mar 2017
92
88th
An ingenious little work, that at its best moments points at the absurdity in all our human institutions and at the foolishness of it all and the... well... futility of civillisation. Getting a comedy director was the right choice - the funnier they made it, the more horrifically grim truth they could afford to share. Steve Carell and his team are brilliant, but Christian Bale quietly threatens to steal the whole show with his performance.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
80
84th
Christian Bale as the Aspergers metal head stock analyst is probably the greatest role he's ever done. Manages to explain the entire MBS fraud that brought the entire global financial system to its knees in concise, humorous, and creative detail. The film also does an amusing breaking the fourth wall job of narrating itself without coming across as annoying or cheesy. Also has the balls to call out the institutions involved in this scam. Powerful film every American should watch.
Rated 24 May 2016
77
78th
The interesting subject matter & grim awfulness of the greed & stupidity manage to propel a story where absolutely no one deserves your sympathy. There are some clumsy efforts from McKay to provide humanity to both Bale & Carell in the form of tragedy & social trials, but neither really works. That said, the stylish direction, punchy screenplay and Margot Robbie in a bath make this essential viewing. The lingering feeling of impeding doom when this all happens again is its finest achievement.
Rated 16 Jan 2016
70
70th
This is by far the clearest & most complete explanation of the nature & cause of real estate bubble & corresponding 2008 stock crash I've seen. But, it sometimes felt like a scattered mess. It was hard to relate to the characters & even harder to like them. All the good guys are portrayed as eccentric geeks, lunatic crusaders, greedy opportunists or inept, with the exception of Brad Pitt's minor character. It was also stupidly confused by fake story paths. Good, but not polished.
Rated 25 Oct 2016
80
79th
An extraordinarily clever format and deft editing skilfully overwhelm the niche subject matter and saturated jargon to produce an engaging and well executed film.
Rated 26 Dec 2015
32
94th
The Big Sad, more like it.
Rated 23 Dec 2015
80
95th
I know it's practically cliche at this point to call something this generation's Dr. Strangelove, so I'll resist. But I was reminded of the nuclear apocalypse scene, applied to the world economy, stretched out to a feature-length film. The disaster is terrifyingly portended and boldly explained. Granted, there are more familiar elements of comedy, but where did Adam McCay learn to direct this powerfully?
Rated 14 Jan 2016
1
4th
thank god the likes of selena gomez and margot robbie have finally deigned to translate the financial crisis into idiotspeak for me, said no one ever. plus: characters who can be fully described in a single sentence perform jarring, transparently hollow gestures toward a conscience, and so does the film in between its overcalculated, self-aware wisecracking. no synthesis between the comic, tragic, righteous and educational elements means it fails on all four counts. time to watch TWOWS again.
Rated 19 Feb 2018
81
73rd
A successful use of non-documentary film to explain complicated events
Rated 01 Feb 2016
79
67th
Between having more celeb appearances than a Muppets movie and some playful-yet-inconsistent editing, The Big Short may be 2015's hardest movie for me to pin down. I wasn't bored, I liked its winking self-awareness, and the performances were all around quite good. However, I couldn't reconcile its indictment of greed while also being a product of one of the greediest industries around AND flaunting its slew of cameos and expensive leading ensemble. Maybe that furthers all the irony though...
Rated 01 Jan 2016
86
82nd
The Big Short is The Wolf of Wall Street if you replaced contempt for the little guy with pity. Everyone is talking about how much of the movie is steeped in anger, but it goes beyond that, to the point where anger runs out and all you're left with is disappointment and sadness. The final bait-and-switch is the best and most depressing joke in the film, and in the end you're just left with a sense of emptiness. It just wants to tell you "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry this is the world we live in."
Rated 28 Sep 2016
75
77th
After dicking around with (mostly good) Will Farrell comedies for over a decade, Adam McKay reinvents himself as mid-nineties Oliver Stone (with a sense of humor) and delivers a poignant, well-written black comedy/exposé about how we all are totally and utterly screwed.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
80
81st
This is so fucked up, you can't make it up. And that after all this shit, all the lying and fraud, the same bullshit is still going on out there, that's what really makes me angry. But you know: "Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come." - Haruki Murakami -
Rated 02 Jan 2016
9
90th
Easily trumps Margin Call - and Jonathan Jarvis' animated online video - as the most comprehensive, thoughtfully assembled examination of the subprime mortgage crisis, offering nothing less than biting commentary and vitriolic rhetoric against the greedy assholes who almost destroyed the world economy. What really makes this movie stand out, however, is the cleverly funny, fittingly unorthodox way in which everything is presented. In that regard, props to Hank Corwin for a damn fine editing job.
Rated 17 Dec 2015
85
81st
McKay seems to be maturing, or immaturing, as a director -- although this is a comprehensive and procedural narrative of some suckers during the financial collapse of last decade, the style in which it's divulged is exuberant and without any fucks. I admire, and was entertained by, this overdone Scorsese-esque Iannucci-esque counterpart to TWoWS, but this shows the lows and stress of the lifestyle instead. Not for everyone, but I liked it a lot.
Rated 14 Jan 2016
95
97th
The most entertaining informational movie I've ever seen. Managing to take something almost incomprehensible and make a feature length film out of it, and also make it interesting as hell, is beyond me. Also, what a cast. Especially Carrell. Adam McKay is impressing me with this, and I can't wait to see a little more.
Rated 25 Apr 2016
86
96th
Coming out the same year (and me watching relatively close to each other) sets up this film to be the polar opposite of Spotlight. Both are true story digging for truth type presentations, with Spotlight being an insanely slow burn. and The Big Short being the grenade down the trousers. Everyone is so hammily scene stealing, they manage to steal the scene fro themselves somehow. The years best, of the few films I have seen. It isn't every detail about the crash, but it's enough to make you mad.
Rated 22 Feb 2016
85
67th
Very inventive directing and editing, which makes it a blast to watch even if you're struggling to follow every single intricate detail of the housing collapse, which the movie even knowingly jokes about. Unlike Wolf of Wallstreet, it tackles its economic subject with humanity and darkly comedic cynicism rather than with overblown, discompassionate excess which makes it an interesting companion piece. Clever, funny, a little tragic, and just very well executed all around.
Rated 10 Feb 2016
3
65th
Not worthy of any of it's Academy nominations, escpecially for editing, seriously; too sloppy, too full of itself, and too casual for an event as serious as this. That said, the story is interesting and Carell's performance hightened my experience severely, which made me rate it a tad higher. *Good
Rated 13 Jan 2016
50
21st
a nice surprise. Basically Capitalism a love story but people can like it cuz it's not Michael Moore. Still don't really get the feeling any of these characters are good people or that I should have sympathy for them cuz they're still scum who feign interest in humanity.
Rated 14 Jan 2016
82
77th
Perfectly edited and directed one. Lewis' words become more effective in McKay's hands.
Rated 25 Mar 2017
74
72nd
Entertaining film with a quick pace. I liked it, though perhaps it could have had more impact on a personal level. On the other hand then the whole film maybe wouldn't have worked as well as it did. The celebrity cameos felt patronizing and could have been replaced with something better.
Rated 13 Jan 2016
80
60th
Well, I felt patronized but I also feel depressed, which means that it achieved its goal. The music was great. I feel mixed up about the level of seriousness in this film, from the explanation and stripper scenes, to the scene at the end. I suppose it reflects the ludicrous behavior of the subject. I do have a better understanding of the meltdown now though.
Rated 03 Jan 2016
29
10th
Bale and Carell really play their roles perfectly. Everyone else about this movie falters extremely.The movie is filmed in a pseudo documentary style, with 4th wall breaking, terrible edited montages and more shaky cam than a Bourne Movie. The celebrity explanation segments are terrible, I hate when a wall street movie goes "Well you probably don't understand this and its boring to explain". Which is funny, because the book suffered from not being able to explain any concepts simply.
Rated 30 Jan 2016
70
65th
Interesting and entertaining. I liked it. But it's a bit overrated, isn't it?
Rated 08 Feb 2016
50
38th
No guys, come on. This has the most insufferable editing I've seen in a long time. For one thing. Secondly, I can't believe the screenwriter who worked on Moneyball, a film about a sport I knew absolutely nothing about going in which managed to make me feel like I understood what was going on without pandering to me like I'm five years old, also worked on this, which has exposition so lazy, contrived, full of itself and not even really adequate. Carell is the only reason I rate it this highly.
Rated 29 Sep 2016
81
87th
Very good. Well-paced, tonally sound, and with a great cast. I really liked Carrell and Bale in this. The technical stuff is covered effectively, providing enough detail to be understood, but not affecting the pacing of the drama. The little celeb inserts worked for me, but I can see them jarring others. McKay handles all this well. Of course, the behaviour that let to the financial horror is abhorrent, so the film might leave you a tad angry. Well worth seeing. A good partner to Margin Call.
Rated 28 Feb 2016
75
81st
It's really great to see McKay take his energy & comedic skill as a director to something more sophisticated & intelligent like this. It's witty and clever, but also really smart & occasionally depressing in the way in which it captures the financial world. They did a really good job of making it accessible. The direction & editing are excellent, and the soundtrack is really cool. I wouldn't say there are any real standouts in the cast, but that's only because they're all awesome.
Rated 17 Dec 2015
80
89th
A movie about financial collapse that's fun, entertaining, informative, and a little scary, The Big Short is tremendously effective. It's easily the best film of director Adam McKay's career, and lives up to the likes of Margin Call and The Wolf of Wall Street as films about this type of subject matter. It's incredibly pointed, it's enjoyable for its entire 130-minute running time, and it's got more than a couple of good actors playing interesting - albeit somewhat shallow - characters.
Rated 28 Aug 2016
70
81st
Has a lot of energy for the subject matter. The presentation was interesting and served the tone of the film well. Christian Bale and Steve Carell were brilliant.
Rated 14 Jan 2016
85
76th
If you aren't already interested in the film's subject matter it won't win you over, but if you are already interested then you certainly won't have a lot to complain about. The score did a great job of being representative of the time period without being too obvious. I think though, the biggest surprise was how well Adam McKay's direction was. I initially had serious doubts about his involvement (him being known strictly as a comedy writer/director), but he did very well with his first drama.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
81
90th
Hilarious, biting, affecting, and surprising. Often somehow all in the same moment.
Rated 01 Feb 2017
90
97th
Brilliant and funny.
Rated 25 Sep 2016
76
67th
Lacks emotional punch to truly convey the outrage its clearly going for but super entertaining!
Rated 24 Aug 2016
81
72nd
It's just depressing.
Rated 20 Jan 2016
79
57th
An enjoyable film with great performances and a decent narrative that gets a bit too caught up with its gimmicky asides.
Rated 06 Jan 2016
85
59th
It's impressive that McKay is able to make his film succeed as an informative history lesson, as a crass comedy about idiots with responsibility (the driving force of McKay's previous work) and as a rollicking, sub-Scorsese portrayal of excess and greed. The great irony of this story is that our heroes were only in it to profit, just like the big bankers who screwed everyone over in the first place. The film makes this irony painfully clear. Incredibly incisive for something so entertaining.
Rated 25 Dec 2015
70
54th
OK, first off, there ain't near enough humor in it for it to be labeled a comedy. And yeah, it's an incomplete picture, but only because it pulls up short at every opportunity it had to present the whole story. The scene with the model in the bubble-bath sipping champagne while mulling over the implications of all those sub-prime mortgages came as close as it got to spilling the beans. Then there was the ditsy former government regulator who was now on the payroll of the p
Rated 07 Jan 2016
2
10th
A commendable idea to bring this issue to the forefront in the Trojan Horse that is Adam McKays built in bro comedy audience. Where it loses it for me is making me try to feel bad or care about these investment guys who made millions off of the housing crash In fact the only guy that comes off likeable in the end is Goslings character cause he isn't full of shit. He's not parading around like he gives a fuck about anything but making money and being right.
Rated 01 Jan 2016
90
93rd
A funny and yet deeply unsettling film. The whole cast is on fine form.
Rated 14 Aug 2016
55
36th
I'm suspicious of films that present the world of bankers and high finance as being populated with morons. Considering that this sector now attracts many of the 'best and brightest', it seems like a depiction that is based more on resentment than reality. Nonetheless, the film works best in its moments of recognition ,where the characters become aware of the damage they have done. The film can't settle on a tone though--it's neither particularly funny or serious--and it's terribly edited.
Rated 24 Apr 2016
95
94th
A hilariously illuminating dark comedy about the subprime mortgage bust of 2008-09. EDIT: I watched this twice in last two days and this is like vintage wine. All the subtle comedies and vile antics, words of the fraudulent bankers left me wondering with the sinking feeling 'How the hell?' And now the frauds of Wells Fargo are out. This is a systemic, top-down, reprehensible culture and system. Everything is royally screwed, everything is fucked big time.
Rated 08 Feb 2016
75
81st
Despite being advertised as a comedy, it only is insofar as your ability to laugh at greedy assholes ruining the world. I don't find that amusing, but this movie is good.
Rated 09 Jul 2016
88
84th
Upsetting
Rated 14 Mar 2016
42
69th
Managed to make a complex issue entertaining. Made me want to learn more about economics and fraud. Also made me kind of ashamed that I didn't already know more about economics and fraud.
Rated 19 Jan 2016
90
29th
Engaging, entertaining and educational.
Rated 03 Feb 2018
75
64th
This film mainly works because of its editing. I am also surprised, as a Canadian who barely understands what a subprime mortgage is, could follow along with this film.
Rated 09 Jan 2016
8
76th
The Big Short remarkbaly takes what many could perceive to be a dull & alien subject matter; and somehow translates it into an interesting & entertaining film. Admittedly most of the terminology went straight over my head. But it's explained and broken down for the audience to grasp with the use of different expository gimmicks. But it's the acquired humour and stellar performances from Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling & Brad Pitt that make this film so surprisingly entertaining.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
85
59th
Well made and well acted, but I don't like walking out of the theater wishing I had studied up beforehand.
Rated 08 Jan 2016
8
80th
Has one hell of an awful trailer (obviously trying to attract the masses). If you can make banking and economics fun than you're getting a pass from me. Enjoyed the style it went for, that being very reminiscent of "The Wolf of Wall Street". Holla to the editing.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
92
85th
Until The Big Short, Margin Call was the best film I'd seen tackling this complex subject matter. This film not only explains more, and in a clearer way, but it lobs its message proudly to the audience: get angry -- and it's easy to. Look at Adam McKay! Worked his way up from silly comedies to do something he's clearly passionate about. The frantic pace keeps the tone consistent, aided by the script's fun conventions that don't overstay their welcome. Some definite Scorsese influence in here.
Rated 19 Dec 2016
88
91st
There was a really big challenge here to take a large, intractable and complicated subject, with a brutal emotional underscore, and make it both informative and interesting. And funny. Genuinely funny. I was very impressed. I'm not sure Margot Robbie needed to be in the bath, but I understand the point that was being made by the little celebrity cameos. Just very well done in every respect.
Rated 21 Jan 2016
85
85th
Perfectly paced and filled with memorable performances, The Big Short really impressed me by making me actually understand what the hell these people were talking about in the first place. I came into the film not knowing the first thing about mortgages, CDOs, and subprime loans. I came out not only enlightened, but also entertained, and amazed that I had been in the theater for over two hours. I definitely recommend it, and I really hope to see more like this from Adam McKay in the future.
Rated 23 Dec 2015
81
68th
The Big Short is a caustic indictment of the U.S. financial system. Bale & Carell are fantastic. Yet, unlike other narrative docudrama exposes from this year (Spotlight or The Stanford Prison Experiment), this film doesn't quite illustrate the cunning & carelessness of the antagonists. Gosling's complaint to another character goes for this film itself, "You're not cynical enough." It's still a fine film. But, in the end, I wanted an angrier, more informed audience. Not a dejected one.
Rated 28 Jan 2019
90
96th
It's amazing to me that a film about the global financial crisis of the late 00s is so entertaining it's become one of my favourite films. Also love the appropriate choice of Metal tracks throughout the soundtrack which go a deeper level than just being Burry's background music.
Rated 28 Feb 2016
59
57th
What it accomplishes (and movies like Inside Job or Wolf'o'WS didn't / couldn't) is the catharsis of anger at the "stupidity and fraud" behind the big crash. So many YEAH moments where we're right behind the protagonists. The flipside is when we're supposed to empathize with their inner pains: (1) these are cardboard cutouts, not people, and (2) yeah we're not gonna feel too sorry for profiteering hedge funders, even if they happened to be on the right side. Good, significant watch anyway.
Rated 24 Feb 2016
96
96th
The best soundtrack ever. Great performances by Bale and Carrel. It made banking and economics fun. A great movie. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
90
94th
Manages to be incredibly watchable and infuse humor into a wholly depressing subject. You'll feel like shit and completely powerless after the movie is over. You might feel a slight bit of hope that people will see this and some change will occur, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Just hope you're dead before everything goes to complete shit.
Rated 31 Jan 2016
3
92nd
Enjoyed it a lot. Kooky characters galore and then some. The amount of douche is strong in this film. I like. Fast paced, quickly edited. Well acted, well directed, good script. We all know how the credit crunch went by, so no news there. Recommended!
Rated 10 Feb 2016
80
77th
Bale as geek - check. Gosling in the film ... check! Pitt as farm-loving anticapitalist - check. Marisa Tomei in the film ... check! Carell not annoying but actually funny - check. A film full of pleasant surprises (amidst a topic that is anything but pleasant). There's even a Linklater on the role list! In the same genre as The Wolf of Wall Street, just ... good.
Rated 01 Mar 2016
9
0th
In 1984, Orwell said "There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world you were not mad." This seems especially prescient after watching McKay's The Big Short. He manages to take a difficult concept and boil it down into language easy to understand and follow.The film provides many lessons about the global financial system and the role real estate plays within it, and for anyone interested in the market there are some great insights to be gained
Rated 12 Jan 2016
70
72nd
Interesting how McKay uses YouTube clips and internet stuff in the crazy first 45 minutes, but it's also too bad how the film manages to be too serious in the last 45 or so. Still, what an exciting way to talk about the 2008 crash -- in a way that is way closer to Anchorman to Margin Call.
Rated 28 Feb 2016
79
91st
An exciting and entertaining picture on a complicated and terrible subject. McKay magnificently manages to create an informational movie that uses humor while it explores the reason for the economical collapse, through a few fascinating and enjoyable personalities it examines the culture and characters of the Wall Street. It's fun, energetic and has some unconventional directional choices, but manages to reach a serious note when it changes for the more tragic.
Rated 06 Jan 2016
100
97th
Took a crazy complex topic and made it easier to understand. Plus kept the tension going even though we know how it turns out
Rated 27 Nov 2016
3
38th
The trailers made this one look like a high-octane comic thriller of sorts, Ocean's Eleven on Wall Street. Instead, it's mostly sad and angry, and justifiably so. The (amusing) expository gimmicks provide some sizzle but the substance is plenty interesting on its own.
Rated 21 Jun 2018
80
88th
Of all the movies that I knew would eventually get a sequel that was really more of just a retread because the story never changed, this is the most unfortunate.
Rated 06 Jan 2016
8
82nd
Loved this book and it was a good adaptation of some really juicy material. There's obvious problems: poor choice of music, editing is shaky and Carrell's performance is absolute shit. However, they really made it cinematic and despite not explaining the crisis in the most accurate way (it's too boring to do this) it was good enough to give people the gist of things. Big fan of Michael Burry and Bale really does him justice.
Rated 06 Jan 2016
80
72nd
Confident, in-your-face filmmaking. Placing the audience in the shoes of the very few who benefitted from the demise of millions of others. Easily the most important movie of 2015.
Rated 09 Jul 2016
85
83rd
Like a pop-documentary, manages to explain pretty difficult financial concepts in an entertaining way.Yeah,i know,but really it does.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
85
93rd
(THE WEIRDOS OF WALL STREET)
Rated 11 Jan 2016
84
86th
Let's face it: the financial speculators who are the protagonists of THE BIG SHORT are only slightly less contemptible than the bankers whose irresponsible and fraudulent activity triggered an economic crisis; they did, after all, profit immensely from the failure of the system. But my God does this only make an already lively, well-acted, and thought-provoking film even more compelling.
Rated 13 Mar 2016
80
90th
fuck all this, this whole system, the central banks and their money printing and rate hike cycles, the investment casinos, the corrupt politics and media behind it all. fuck it. buy bitcoin. p.s.: i get that you want characters to be portrayed accurately, but burry's eye? why the hell would you do that except to shame him? "hey everybody, hey mike, did you know there's something funky going on with your eye?"
Rated 16 May 2016
76
29th
Laudatory attempt to make myopic mega-greed watchable.
Rated 20 May 2016
68
70th
Artificial and didactic, almost like an essay at times, but doesn't take itself too seriously and works pretty well for what it is. At its worst it strains too conspicuously to hold the viewer's attention in spite of the topic, which the creators apparently deem dangerously technical. Seems to stand on the shoulders of "Capital", "Margin Call" and "The Wolf of Wall Street", all of which are better.
Rated 01 Mar 2016
75
39th
I kept hearing Elaine Benes repeating "stock swap" as I watched this. I got very bored by the bank business language, so perhaps I'm not the right viewer for this picture. Some funny moments, and convincing performances kept me in it. I learned about collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) from Ryan Gosling's character. That's a mouthful more than he said in those Winding Refn movies.
Rated 19 Feb 2016
80
82nd
McKay broke the fourth wall in way which made this film accessible. The out of focus, dynamic way of filming brought a comedic touch and the brilliant performances of the notable cast made the transition of heavily financed dialogues rather smoothly. I did need to go over it the next day to fully appreciate what McKay had done. An enjoyable film and now a personal favourite.
Rated 31 Jan 2016
81
72nd
An interesting and informative film, The Big Short was unexpectedly entertaining
Rated 30 Jun 2016
65
59th
Very interesting subject and very informative movie but it's too complicated for those who have no idea about the economic terms and running of the economic world even though the movie gives lots of explaniton during it's 2 hours period it was still not too clear for me. However, I have to say that the message and the ending were very clear and also successful about giving the reality of the economic crisis.
Rated 25 Jun 2019
60
40th
As an idiot, I appreciate a film that treats me like one.
Rated 03 Mar 2016
46
28th
You'll never believe it, but the second that rich white guys figure out the world is about to collapse they choose not to warn anyone about it and instead they make sure to find ways to profit from it while everyone around them is dying. Surprise!
Rated 04 Jan 2016
70
28th
It has the gliding-over-everything perspective of PAIN & GAIN, but without being mean-spirited. Unfortunately, it's also missing real or even semi-original style--like a lot of the budget went into the actors, and not the production. It's Scorsese without the wit, and Michael Bay without an aesthetic palette. I appreciate its populism, but it's too much like a know-it-all sophomore in an introduction to macroeconomics class to take too seriously. Carell is incredible, though.
Rated 13 Mar 2016
80
52nd
A little too all over the place but it's a fun movie about a decidedly not subject.
Rated 06 Mar 2016
80
78th
The 3 parallel stories work less than a single story would have, but there's a lot of powerful writing and good cinematography on display. Overall, the movie is very emotionally impactful.
Rated 23 Aug 2020
65
37th
Solid, but too modern. All the usual suspects are present. Hip editing - check, 4th wall-braking winks - check, non-existent story/characters - check. The theme is both interesting and important, but all you're gonna get is only a slick, MTV treatment of it.
Rated 27 May 2019
70
40th
'The Big Short' shows how depressingly corrupt the whole thing was while still being funny. Christian Bale does a fantastic job of acting the smart oddball without being overbearing.
Rated 14 Feb 2016
82
70th
Fairly entertaining faux-documentary about a very interesting subject.
Rated 14 Jan 2023
70
74th
“Until recently, I thought that there would never again be an opportunity to be involved with an industry as socially destructive and morally bankrupt as the subprime mortgage industry. I was wrong. The for-profit education industry has proven equal to the task.” These are the words of Steve Eisman in 2010 (aka Mark Baum aka Steve Carrell), let them sink in; an education system founded on synthetic CDOs. The situation is even worse now with ALL education systems corrupted by fraudsters.
Rated 31 Dec 2015
81
43rd
Manages to wring quite a bit of drama out of an arcane subject. I enjoyed the performances.
Rated 02 Jan 2016
80
85th
I didn't like the insertion of assorted "celebrities" to explain the financial terms. Was everyone back then orange or was that just my tv/imagination? What the hell have you done to yourself Ryan Gosling!!? An excellent film providing another view of how the financial industry without any oversight will take us on a dangerous ride to ruin if allowed to. All those who don't see them doing it again please raise your hands. Not one? Didn't think so.
Rated 26 Nov 2018
87
74th
It made me sad as everybody's got this feeling that nobody wants to learn from the mistakes. Banks are doing it again and what can you do, eh? The movie is chaotic in a way but characters are very watchable and well written. I didn't laugh while watching, I couldn't. You and me, we are paying the price.
Rated 12 Feb 2017
84
88th
An interesting mix of narrative and documentary styles used to try and wrangle the complicated mess that is The Wall Street and economic collapse of 2008. Adam McKay deftly incorporates a dark humor into the maddening world of corruption, greed, and stupidity that is big banking. The film helps audiences to better understand the cause of the financial disaster, but like my understanding of economics; the film leaves a little room for something to be desired.
Rated 30 Jan 2016
70
69th
Probably Adam McKay's most serious movie, "The Big Short" is fast-paced, funny, not always entirely comprehensible, well-acted (Steve Carell stands out in my opinion) and all-around very well-made. It tries to strike the difficult balance between being accessible and lightweight enough so that everyone can watch, and realistic enough at the same time (financial terminology and all) in an attempt to recreate actual facts. It doesn't succeed completely but remains a strong watch.
Rated 06 Feb 2016
87
89th
Great intelligent film, that manages to convey complex ideas in an accessible way, while staying enjoyable and exciting. Also great cast and soundtrack elevate it even higher.
Rated 10 Jul 2016
59
66th
An attempt at making the world of finance fun a la the much more approachable Moneyball. A longer review would look at the contradictory ideology of the film, which still valourises its protagonists' achievements by means of their profits.
Rated 26 Feb 2017
90
97th
Really great movie with really no faults I could point out. Suggest everyone to see it.

Collections

Loading ...

Similar Titles

Loading ...

Statistics

Loading ...

Trailer

Loading ...