The Big Short review

Based on the bestselling non-fiction book by Michael Lewis, The Big Short follows the eccentric group of people who decided to bet against the US housing market in the lead-up to the financial crash of 2007 – 10. 

These people include the heavy metal loving and socially awkward hedge fund manager Michael Burry (Christian Bale), the outspoken Mark Baum (Steve Carell), and the young duo of Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock.)

For the most part, the film delivers on the comedic promise of its trailers while at the same time delivering hard facts about the lead-up to the financial crisis. It also boasts some strong performance from its ensemble cast, especially from Christian Bale as Burry.

The unfortunate thing is that what might work in book form appears sprawling and bloated on-screen. Also despite its didactic approach, the film doesn’t ultimately seem to have anything new or interesting to say about the financial crisis or its causes. Sure we’re given plenty of detail and lots of financial jargon – which the filmmakers, to their credit, chose not to dumb down – but we’re still not left anymore enlightened by the end of the film than we were at the beginning.

The Big Short tells an important story. How it tells it though is less than impressive.

Star Rating: 3/5

The Best Films of 2015: Whiplash

With the New Year fast approaching, a rundown of the year's best films (in the humble opinion of this critic) seems appropriate. First up: Whiplash.

Young and talented drummer Andrew harbours dreams of greatness but doesn’t seem challenged at the music school he attends. That is until he meets Fletcher, the conductor of the school’s leading jazz band. As a result of Fletcher’s brutal, unorthodox methods and his perfectionist attitude, Andrew finds himself pushed to the very limits of his musical ability and sanity. 

Whiplash was nominated for five Academy awards and it’s not hard to see why. Everything about it from its screenplay, cinematography, and acting – J. K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for his portrayal of Fletcher – is superb.

It’s also relentlessly exciting. The scenes in the jazz band’s practice room where Fletcher pushes Andrew and the other students for even better and better performances feel like something from a thriller, with Fletcher taking on the role of the role of the supercriminal whose job consists of throwing obstacle after obstacle in front of the film’s hero. Sedate drama this is not.

Director Damien Chazelle’s next film is a musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and is set for a release in the summer. If it is crafted with any of the passion and care of Whiplash then it is surely worth the price of a cinema ticket.