The Big Short (2015)
The 2008 financial crisis shouldn’t be this fun.
Presentation:
The film has humor, wit, personality and character in performance and script. The celebrity explanation of financial terms and aspects should be easy enough to understand for adult audiences. The pacing is tight and compelling with dialogue feeling like an action film disguised as a crime and detective documentary. There is not one lackluster performance in this star studded cast.
Conclusion:
It is hard to say if this film does a disservice to the tragedy of the crisis, making light of a devastating moment in modern America. Moments requiring gravitas such as the monologues from Gosling are a bit oversimplified, biased and un-nuanced, but the film overall captures the rest of the events with justice. Every scene can be a movie in itself, and some of the best films are informative leaving you wanting to learn more. This is the better version of the financial crisis compared to Margin Call, which had a more somber tone. However, i believe both films can still be enjoyed independent of one another. This navigates solemn and lighthearted moments in the most entertaining way.
Recommendations
The collapse of western civilization starts with a face mask.