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The Big Short (2015)

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2:05 | Trailer
In 2006-7 a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. In their research they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.

Director:

Adam McKay

Writers:

Charles Randolph (screenplay by), Adam McKay (screenplay by) | 1 more credit »
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Popularity
360 ( 162)
Won 1 Oscar. Another 37 wins & 79 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ryan Gosling ... Jared Vennett
Rudy Eisenzopf ... Lewis Ranieri
Casey Groves ... Fund Manager
Charlie Talbert ... Lewis Bond Trader
Harold Gervais Harold Gervais ... Lewis Bond Trader
Maria Frangos Maria Frangos ... Exotic Dancer
Christian Bale ... Michael Burry
Hunter Burke ... Analyst
Bernard Hocke Bernard Hocke ... Coach
Shauna Rappold ... Michael Burry's Mom
Brandon Stacy ... Michael Burry's Dad
Aiden Flowers ... Young Michael Burry
Peter Epstein ... Paul Baum
Anthony Marble ... Therapy Businessman
Silas Cooper ... Therapy Businessman
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Storyline

Three separate but parallel stories of the U.S mortgage housing crisis of 2005 are told. Michael Burry, an eccentric ex-physician turned one-eyed Scion Capital hedge fund manager, has traded traditional office attire for shorts, bare feet and a Supercuts haircut. He believes that the US housing market is built on a bubble that will burst within the next few years. Autonomy within the company allows Burry to do largely as he pleases, so Burry proceeds to bet against the housing market with the banks, who are more than happy to accept his proposal for something that has never happened in American history. The banks believe that Burry is a crackpot and therefore are confident in that they will win the deal. Jared Vennett with Deutschebank gets wind of what Burry is doing and, as an investor believes he too can cash in on Burry's beliefs. An errant telephone call to FrontPoint Partners gets this information into the hands of Mark Baum, an idealist who is fed up with the corruption in the ... Written by Huggo

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

This is a true story See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language and some sexuality/nudity | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 2015 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The Big Short See more »

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$705,527, 13 December 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$70,259,870

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$133,346,506
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite Adam McKay regular Will Ferrell not appearing in the film, there is a nod to him. During one of the earlier transition themes, there is a shot of a young girl saying 'I want my money'. This is taken from a Funnyordie sketch, 'the landlord' featuring Will Ferrell and his young daughter. The short film was written by Adam McKay. See more »

Goofs

Michael Burry had a prosthetic eye, but both of his eyes move in unison on several occasions. Not all glass eyes are stationary. See more »

Quotes

Jamie Shipley: People hate to think about bad things happening so they always underestimate their likelihood.
See more »

Connections

Featured in 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016) See more »

Soundtracks

Lithium
Written by Kurt Cobain
Performed by The Polyphonic Spree
Under License by The Bicycle Music Company
Video footage courtesy of Miles Hargrove
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Right on the Money and on the Fraud
13 December 2015 | by jakob13See all my reviews

'The Big Short' is a winner. Based on Michael Lewis book of the same title, it tells the sorry story of the fraud and deceit practiced on the American people, nay, on the world by Wall Streets finance capitalism. We know the culprits: Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Lehman Bros., Morgan Stanley, Citibank, Wachovia, Crdit Suisse, UBS and on and on who invented financial instruments such as CDO, credit swaps and other fancy unintelligible names, based on mortgages, with the connivance of the credit agencies--Dow Jone, Standard and Poors and Fitch. 'The Big Short' with a light seriousness is a crash course on the duplicity of Wall Street investment bankers who earned large fees on junk bonds with triple A ratings; who bundled junk to palm off on an unsuspecting public looking for big gains by pandering to the snake oil exilir of getting rich quickly; and who feed on the niavety of the broad American have-nots with the dream of owning a home of their own. And so with some humor but much sadness are we lead through the byways of four different groups of bankers who saw the hoax for what it was and its impending implosion that would bring down the deck of cards of capitalism. And the took out bets on the market, by buying short. And they won big time! But the banks are still around, and the ratepayers footed the bailout, but at what cost! And we see this in the turmoil of the Republican party: for the discontent abroad in the US has thrown more than 25 percent of the population into poverty, loss of jobs, home, into heavy debt and no future for their children. And these banks have not reformed their ways...now they've come up with the same of gimmicks with a fancy name--something like beneficial financial tranche--as the play the same old mug's game. And like the Bourbons, t The cast is stellar--especially Christian Bale and Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling as well as the minor players. And like the Bourbons, in the words of Talleyrand, 'they learned nothing and forgot nothing', but the contempt they have for all of us. And to make the case stronger, the fools on the Supreme Court have strengthened the hands of big money and the oligopoly and the fat cats of Wall Street and the coupon clippers and the devil take the rest of us!


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