When America’s big banks played fast and loose with the money of average people, four men decided to stand up and do something about it. That’s the elevator pitch for Adam McKay’s The Big Short; the film wants you to examine recent events in American financial history, and it wants you to get mad. The film’s first trailer introduced audiences to its basic premise, and now it wants everyone to know that it intends to make an impression when awards season rolls around.
Paramount has just released a new trailer for The Big Short, which is based upon Michael Lewis’ 2010 book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine. The trailer focuses heavily on the real-life avarice of major American banks, and sets up the film’s central cast — Christian Bale (The Dark Knight trilogy), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Ryan Gosling (Crazy, Stupid, Love), and Brad Pitt (Fury) — as loveable outsiders intent on taking them down.
This trailer’s intention is to let us know just how much of a critical darling The Big Short is and will become. Interspersed between intense clips from the film are moments of praise from critics, as well as accolades for the film’s all-star cast. The Big Short also seems to aim for the same emotional beats as 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street in the sense that it glosses over nitty gritty financial lingo in favor of broad explanations, so as to not confuse members of the audience who don’t have an MBA.
While the film tackles real issues of greed and fraud in major American financial institutions, it does so in a way that’s humorous and casts a wide net in terms of appeal. This is to be expected considering the film is directed by Will Ferrell’s other half, Adam McKay, and the four headlining actors all have a proven track record of balancing witty charm with dramatic intensity in the roles they take on. The only thing left to be concerned about is whether or not McKay can sustain the dramatic elements of The Big Short without relying too heavily on his comedic pedigree.
The Big Short comes out in limited theatrical release on December 11th, 2015, with a wide release set to begin on December 23rd.
