Page 11 - Minister Arthur Dowers
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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Wednesday 23 December
‘The Big Short’ and the radicalization of Adam McKay
animated charts. the book in a single night.
Audiences at the time left Brad Pitt’s company Plan
scratching their heads. B held the rights and liked
“We designed it to be a the idea of McKay taking
comedy allegory of the a shot. The book’s author,
collapse. It didn’t quite Michael Lewis, didn’t have
work on those terms,” said a say in the matter but he
McKay, laughing. “That’s thought it was perfect.
not the audience’s fault. “Even if he just took it and
The comedy is so big. It turned it into a broad com-
was a good learning expe- edy that would be better
rience for me.” than what most people
“The Big Short” was an- would do with it, which
other chance to address would be to make it really
it head on. He devoured tedious,” Lewis said.q
Director Adam McKay poses for a portrait in Los Angeles. McKay’s new film, “The Big Short”
opens in U.S. theaters on Dec. 23, 2015. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
LINDSEY BAHR in that it’s so overtly about tics. On “Saturday Night
AP Film Writer the thing he is talking about Live,” where he was tasked
LOS ANGELES (AP) — You and not cloaked in allegory with writing many of the
don’t have to look too or big, absurdist laughs. But cold opens, people called
closely to realize that it wasn’t as big a stretch as him a leftie.
Adam McKay’s work has one might think. Even his big, broad ab-
always been at least a little Politics are life for McKay. surdist comedies have
bit political. He credits his childhood for germs of subversive ideas
But the director, writer and that, when being dirt poor embedded in them. Don’t
producer, best known for and on food stamps and worry if that wasn’t clear
broad comedies like “An- having a single waitress for — it’s not supposed to be
chorman: The Legend of a mother still allowed for a front and center.
Ron Burgundy,” ‘’Talla- nice life and solid educa- “First and foremost they’re
dega Nights: The Ballad of tional opportunities. supposed to be funny and
Ricky Bobby,” and “Step “I grew up sort of believ- entertaining. (Will) Ferrell
Brothers,” turned some ing that government could and I always think that you
heads when he raised his be a positive. It’s not al- have to have a point of
hand to direct an adapta- ways perfect, but there view. So, as silly as it is, with
tion of Michael Lewis’s fi- was a positive force to it,” ‘Anchorman,’ we were
nancial crisis book “The Big he said. “My grandfather making fun of what has
Short.” and I always talked about happened to local news.
His film, which expands na- the election and what was ‘Talladega Nights’ was
tionwide on Christmas, is going on. He was always about this weird red state
a bristling look at the real reading the paper and pride that was going on at
finance guys who realized telling me to stay in touch. that time.”
before the rest of us that I think it was just an old “The Big Short” isn’t the first
the housing bubble would school civics foundation.” time McKay tried to tackle
burst — and profited when That’s why it was so surpris- the financial crisis, either. It
it did. It boasts an all-star ing to him when he moved was in the 2009 Will Ferrell
cast including Christian to Chicago to start his and Mark Wahlberg com-
Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gos- standup and improv com- edy “The Other Guys.” The
ling and Steve Carell and edy career and he be- closing credits present a
has been garnering some came known on the scene damning portrait of Ponzi
serious Oscar buzz. as the “political guy.” No schemes and exorbitant
It’s a departure for McKay one else talked about poli- CEO compensation with
