SCENES
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Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
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INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
60
# PG SLUGLINE
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1 OPEN ON: INT. SOLOMON BROTHERS - 1979 - DAY 1 A bunch of FAT BOND TRADERS eat deli sandwiches and smoke cigarettes on the Solomon Brothers Bond Trading floor. It’s not exactly Michael Douglas in Wall Street. The voice that walks us through this is smart, too the point
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3 INT. STRIP CLUB - 1979 - NIGHT 3 The Bond Traders are partying at a strip club throwing dollars everywhere and boozing. It disgusting and fun as hell and none of these guys will live past 60. MODERN TRADER (V.O.)
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8 EXT. MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY 8 GRAPHIC: 1985 A MIDDLE SCHOOL football game is in progress. MICHAEL BURRY age 11 catches a ball and starts running. He’s pretty good. His parents and coaches cheer him on. Cute 8th GRADE
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10 INT. WATER FRONT RESTAURANT - NIGHT 10 There is a party going on with upper class professionals drinking white wine and Heinekens. Michael stands alone between two groups of professionals talking. LAWYER
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13 INT. SCION CAPITAL - MICHAEL BURRY’S OFFICE - NEXT DAY 13 CU of a COMPUTER SCREEN showing THOUSANDS OF COMPLICATED LINES OF MORTGAGES from a MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITY. The lines are almost indecipherable but we see Michael Burry is reading them intently like it’s a page turning mystery novel.
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15 INT. METRO CAPITAL - LAWRENCE FIELDS’S OFFICE - SAME TIME 15 LAWRENCE FIELDS’S office is the opposite of Michael’s. It’s lavish with Manhattan views as is he. LAWRENCE FIELDS Haha! Really? But the housing
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16 EXT. SMALL WATERFALL - DAY 16 SCARLETT JOHANSSON in a white T shirt and cut off jeans let’s the waterfall run over her while explaining mortgage backed securities. SCARLETT JOHANSSON
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18 EXT. GOLDMAN SACHS - MANHATTAN - DAY 18 We push in on Goldman Sachs. We see FINANCIAL NEWS on a monitor outside playing Jim Cramer’s Mad Money show. BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 15. JIM CRAMER
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20 EXT. GOLDMAN SACHS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER 20 Michael Burry leaves the conference room. AS HE CLOSES THE DOOR HE HEARS THE SALES REPS AND THE NUMBERS GUY LAUGHING AND CLAPPING. He hesitates, is he hurt? But then pushes on. MUSIC: Popular Hip Hop track like GOLD DIGGER by KANYE WEST
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25 INT. MICHAEL BURRY’S FUND OFFICE - DAY 25 Michael Burry is on the phone with Lawrence Fields. MICHAEL BURRY 1.3 billion. LAWRENCE FIELDS
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27 EXT. SUNNY ROOFTOP - DAY 27 CU of a cell phone on the ground. We hear a voice. VOICE (V.O.) Paul? Are you there Paul? Paul! We FLASH out.
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29 EXT. MANHATTAN STREETS - LATER 29 We see GIANT BILLBOARDS: for Movado watches, Mercedes SUVs, Designer jeans (with a topless woman with her back to us). We’re on the streets of Manhattan and Mark’s walking while talking on his phone.
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31 EXT. MANHATTAN STREETS - CONTINUOUS 31 MUSIC: Dreamy new-age song like ENYA’S ONLY TIME We see SLO MO people walking down the street. Some laughing. Some stressed about work. Some eating hot dogs. MARK BAUM
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35 EXT. MORGAN STANLEY BUILDING - LATER 35 Everyone walking in and out of the Morgan Stanley building is on their Blackberries. Mark gets out of his cab while finishing a conversation with his cab driver. MARK
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37 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - THE NEXT DAY 37 Jared Vennett, his Chinese Quantitative Analyst, TED JIANG and a Deutsche YOUNG SALES REP stand and sit in front of the room. BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 31.
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40 INT. CHEF’S KITCHEN - DAY 40 In a high end professional kitchen ANTHONY BOURDAIN opens a fridge with a bunch of fish in it. ANTHONY BOURDAIN Okay, I’m a chef on a Sunday
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42 INT. FRONTPOINT OFFICE - DAY 42 Vinny, Danny and Porter cluster unhappily at their desk. They watch Mark say good-bye to the Deutsche Bank team at the door. He's lost in thought as he returns. VINNY
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43 INT. HIGH END DANCE CLUB - NIGHT 43 MUSIC: A rap song with a great beat and attitude like GRILLZ by NELLY JAMIE SHIPLEY, 30, good looking but earnest and CHARLIE GELLER, 31, very smart and neurotic are dancing on a dance
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47 EXT. BOULDER COLORADO - GARAGE - SUMMER DAY 47 A CRAPPY GARAGE with computer paper on the wall reading “The Brownfield Fund” It’s hot as Jamie and Charlie work on their lap tops. Jamie pours water over his head. A CHOCOLATE LAB sleeps on the floor.
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52 INT. TERMINAL - MIAMI AIRPORT - DAY 52 Porter and Danny pass a shop with the Dolphins logo on every conceivable domestic item. They're on a mission, one they're sure is a waste of time. PORTER
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57 EXT. FRONT PORCH - YET ANOTHER RANCH HOUSE - DAY 57 Danny peers in a front window. This time, the door OPENS. A sleepy MAN WITH A TATTOOED NECK rubs his eyes. BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 46. DANNY
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63 INT. SCION OFFICE - DAY 63 We pan past Scion’s office which is now littered with empty desks and land on the WHITE BOARD showing last quarter’s returns: -9.3%. Two ANALYSTS talk to each other from their desks gossiping
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65 INT. MERCEDES SUV - UPSCALE SUBDIVISION - DAY 65 Mark gets a house tour from a wealthy REAL ESTATE AGENT. MUSIC: A dreamy samba like SO NICE by BEBEL GILBERTO REAL ESTATE AGENT The market's in an itsy-bitsy
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70 INT. HOTEL BAR - SOUTH BEACH - DAY 70 BLACK Bitch better like me, I sent her to Cabo. The bar's empty save Mark, Danny and Porter sitting with two
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71 INT. HOTEL LOBBY - SECONDS LATER 71 Eyeing the brokers, Mark whispers with Porter and Danny. MARK I don't get it. Why are they confessing?
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74 INT. TICKETING AREA - MIAMI AIRPORT - DAY 74 Full of purpose, Mark strides ahead of Porter and Danny. MARK Get the mortgage exposure and leverage ratio of every bulge
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77 INT. GYM - DAY 77 Jared steps away from a few guys working out. JARED Swaps are a dark market. That means I set the price. Whatever price I
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79 INT. BROWNFIELD OFFICE - GREENWICH VILLAGE - DAY 79 A brick loft. Jamie and Charlie are gathered around a phone on speaker. We cut back and forth. JAMIE And?
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B80 INT. BROWNFIELD OFFICE - GREENWICH VILLAGE - DAY B80 BEN (V.O.) I saw the CDOs you want to short. The’re brilliant. Worthless, total crap.
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C80 INT. KENNEDY AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY C80 Ben rides the long airport escalator wearing a flu mask. And holding a duffle bag. BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 62A. He passes an Asian man also wearing a flu mask, salutes his
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82 EXT. MIDTOWN - MORGAN STANLEY BUILDING - DAY 82 An electronic scroll on the side of Morgan Stanley reads: Mortgage Delinquencies Hit New High January 11, 2007 1 year 7 months until the collapse
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84 INT. CAB - SAME TIME 84 MARK Motherfuckers! BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 65. The West African CAB DRIVER looks over his shoulder.
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89 INT. MICHAEL BURRY’S HOME - LIVING ROOM - DUSK 89 Michael is watching Business News on the TV while his WIFE, pretty and direct, tries to talk to him. SOMEONE FROM THE TREASURY OR THE FED BEING INTERVIEWED. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL(SOT)
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91 INT. SMALL OFFICE - RATING AGENCY SURVEILLANCE DEPT - DAY 91 GEORGIA I can't see a damn thing. GEORGIA HALE (55) is a pleasant, middle-class woman wearing EYE EXAM SUNSHADES and fussing with her blinds.
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92 INT. CAB - DAY 92 Vinny watches Mark as they ride back uptown in a crowd. He’s rattled. VINNY (checks his blackberry)
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94 INT. FRONTPOINT PARTNERS - SAME TIME 94 Jared Vennett is seated in the conference room. Mark, Vinny, Danny and Porter are SCREAMING AT HIM. He is amazingly calm and even CHECKS HIS PHONE at one point. ALL
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97 INT. VENETIAN HOTEL - STATUES - DAY 97 CU The LIVING STATUES AT THE VENETIAN. The white classical statues are STILL FOR A BEAT and THEN MOVE AND LOOK INTO CAMERA. MUSIC: A hip hop or rap song that exudes attitude like TOUCH
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100 INT. SHOOTING RANGE - THE GUN STORE - LAS VEGAS - DAY 100 RICH GUY and Reps from Bear Stearns in business casual shoot guns. Bullets rip into politically incorrect targets...a black kid attacking a sexy white woman, an Asian gangster, a big photo
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101 INT. GIANT BALLROOM - SAME TIME 101 TWO HUNDRED OR SO BANKERS AND BOND TRADERS TAKE THEIR SEATS in a large ball room with a podium at the front. A sign reads “Option One CEO Paul Dantone: The Mortgage Market is Strong and Getting Stronger”
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A103 INT. BURRY’S BASEMENT - LATER A103 MUSIC: BY DEMONS BE DRIVEN Michael sits behind drums and furiously plays double kick drum heavy metal drums to Pantera. Finally he breaks the sticks from playing so hard.
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105 INT. CASINO RESTAURANT - LUNCH 105 Jamie, Ben and Charlie are eating chopped salads. CHARLIE Even Bear’s doubled their prices. And they keep calling us Brown
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108 INT. TABEMASU ASIAN RESTAURANT - HOTEL - NIGHT 108 MUSIC: Traditional Japanese string version of something like LIONEL RITCHIE’S EASY BUFF REVISED, MAY 11, 2015 85A. A tranquil waterfall out of plate glass windows. Jared walks
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109 INT. CASINO FLOOR - NIGHT 109 * SELENA GOMEZ sits at a black jack table with a giant stack of * chips. She wins another hand and rakes in more chips from the * PROFESSIONAL DEALER. A crowd cheers her on around the table. * CROWD *
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110 INT. TABEMASU ASIAN RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS 110 UNFREEZE BAUM AND MR. CHAU. All Mark can think to do is stand and collect his things. MARK I have to go. Honestly I feel a bit
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112 EXT. UPSCALE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE - "EDIT NEW YORK" - DAY 112 Mark struggles to pull his bag out of a taxi's trunk. CYNTHIA (PRE-LAP) Did you eat on the plane? 113 INT. UPSCALE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE - DAY 113
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114 INT. WAITING AREA - PEDIATRIC PSYCH CENTER - DUSK 114 Mike's son Nicholas plays alone, talking to himself about the different parts of a BACKHOE LOADER. Stabilizer legs...bucket...atriculated arm... Mike enters. His Wife's been waiting, annoyed, gestures to
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119 INT. BROWNFIELD OFFICE - NYC LOFT - DAY 119 Charlie is the one flipping through the TV channels. Jamie is on his lap top. They’re restless, tense and killing time. April 2, 2007 The Crash Begins
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121 INT. BROWNFIELD OFFICE - NYC LOFT - SAME TIME 121 Charlie is getting off the phone. CHARLIE You need to understand, mom. This isn’t just a banking thing. It’s
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124 INT. SCION OFFICES - DAY 124 Mike is at his desk. The headline on the site he’s on is: Bear Stearns liquidates mortgage backed securities hedge funds. Losses at 3.6 Billion. The office is completely empty save two LAWYERS who are
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125 INT. FRONTPOINT OFFICE - DAY 125 The trading desk is hopping. We see someone on their computer on Bloomberg.com. The story: Countrywide Financial Warns of “Difficult Conditions.” The Dow is down 325 points
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128 INT. MORGAN STANLEY - KATHY TAO’S OFFICE - DAY 128 A BREAST-PUMP on a credenza. Mark’s waiting on Kathy. Considering her Spartan office, he realizes she has no personal effects, save the pump. Kathy Tao enters, frazzled, scared.
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129 INT. MANHATTAN RESTAURANT - LATE NIGHT 129 At a window table, Mark and Vinny sit across from Porter and Danny. PORTER But we have nothing to do with
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130 EXT. STREETS OF CHELSEA - DAY 130 Jamie is walking down the street on his cell. August 3, 2007 JAMIE So not only do two mortgage hedge
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134 EXT. THE POWDER MONKEY PUB - EXMOUTH, ENGLAND - DAY 134 A southern England old world pub on a wet street in a small country town. BEN (V.O.) I’ve got almost no cell phone or
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137 INT. AUDITORIUM - DEUTSCHE BANK HQ - DAY 137 Dark. Elegant. A well-heeled crowd of 200 INVESTORS. March 14, 2008 JARED VENNETT (V.O.) As the housing markets and banks
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138 INT. BACK HALLWAY TO AUDITORIUM - DAY 138 A PR PERSON leads ALAN GREENSPAN (never fully seen) and his ENTOURAGE toward an auditorium door. PR PERSON This way Mr. Greenspan. We are so
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144 INT. LEHMAN ELEVATOR BANKS - DAY 144 A DIMINUTIVE EXEC is in the flow of departing Employees. DIMINUTIVE EXEC Go straight to your transportation! Do not talk to the press! Go
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149 INT. MINI-MART - DAY 149 Burry’s FORMER ASSISTANT is stocking Red Bulls in a convenience store. A150 EXT. UPSCALE MIAMI NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY A150 The neighborhood Baum toured with the real estate agent is
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157 EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE APARTMENT ROOF GARDEN - DAY 157 Mark as before, quiet, talking to Vinny via cell phone. MUSIC: A piano piece like THE TWINS by MAX RICHTER fades in slowly VINNY (O.S.)
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160 EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE APARTMENT ROOF GARDEN - CONTINUOUS 160 Mark silently looks off into the distance, still on the phone with Vinny. VINNY (V.O.) Mark?
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Take the Tour
Take the Tour

The big short

A group of outsiders, armed with unconventional methods, spot the flaws in the housing market and bet against the impending financial collapse.

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

What sets 'The Big Short' apart is its unique narrative structure that combines real-life events with a satirical tone, making complex financial concepts understandable to a general audience. The use of celebrity cameos to explain financial jargon adds a layer of entertainment while maintaining the film's educational value. This screenplay not only tells a story of financial collapse but also critiques the systemic failures that allowed it to happen, resonating with audiences concerned about economic justice.

AI Verdict & Suggestions

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Gemini
 Highly Recommend
Claude
 Recommend
GPT4
 Highly Recommend
See Details in P/C/R/HR Section
Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 60% Thriller 40% Crime 30% Comedy 25%

Setting: 1979-2008, New York City and various locations across the United States

Themes: Moral Corruption and Systemic Failure in Finance, The Human Cost of Greed and Recklessness, The Power of Individual Insight and Conscience, The Failure of Regulation and Oversight

Conflict & Stakes: The main conflict revolves around the characters' struggle to navigate the corrupt financial system and profit from the impending housing market collapse, with significant financial and ethical stakes involved.

Mood: Tense and urgent, with moments of dark humor.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The film's focus on the real-life events leading to the 2008 financial crisis, told through the eyes of unconventional characters.
  • Plot Twist: The realization that the financial system is built on a house of cards, leading to the eventual collapse.
  • Innovative Ideas: The use of humor and unconventional storytelling techniques to explain complex financial concepts.
  • Distinctive Settings: The contrast between the high-stakes world of finance and the personal lives of the characters.

Comparable Scripts: The Big Short, Margin Call, Too Big to Fail, Inside Job, Wall Street, Billions, The Wolf of Wall Street, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, The Smartest Guys in the Room

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

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Overall Score: 8.43
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