Review of The Big Short (2015) by Lanre O — 27 Mar 2016

From the director of Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Ant-Man, and Daddy's Home comes... a look at what lead to the financial crisis of 2007-2008? Makes perfect sense. Nonetheless, even though I anticipated how this film would end, I found myself desperately wanting a more optimistic ending.

The difference between The Big Short and many other films is that justice is never served. The far-reaching and damaging effects of corporate greed are very apparent here, as well as how many people lose out because of it.

And boy, do many people lose out big. In a whirlwind of financial jargon such as "mortgage-backed securities," "CDOs," "credit default swaps," and "subprime loans," the general gist of the story is that a few people with power wanted to "get rich quick" while - for lack of better terms - screwing other people over.

The protagonists of the film eventually profit from the foolishness of the banks by betting against a market doomed to fail, but that doesn't mean they feel great about doing so. Make no mistake, this is a fantastic and well thought-out film that has its share of light-hearted moments.

But be prepared for a very hauntingly realistic outcome by the closing credits.