# The Big Short by Adam McKay

11 Hacker News commenters recommended The Big Short by Adam McKay and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for explaining the 2008 financial crisis and showing greedy, foolish bankers. One critic calls it a mediocre movie.

## Why people recommend it

- Clearly explains the 2008 financial crisis (3 comments): "the film by Adam McKay who also gets it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46181665)) "The Big Short did a good job of this although not in a kid friendly way" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49940459)) "The Big Short portrays that quite well." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50067784))
- Portrays greedy, foolish rich people (2 comments): "A large point of the book is that a lot of rich people are both greedy and also stupid" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46363384)) "the film by Adam McKay who also gets it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46181665))
- Good movie, and good book (2 comments): "I'll still watch a good movie, for sure." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48837973)) "such a good movie (and book)!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48715249))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan](https://hackerapproved.com/p/odyssey.md): 50 recommend
- [Perfect Days (2023 film)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/perfect-days.md): 19 recommend
- [The Secret Agent (2025 film)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/secret-agent.md): 18 recommend
- [One Battle After Another](https://hackerapproved.com/p/one-battle-after-another.md): 17 recommend
- [The Rocky Horror Picture Show](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rocky-horror-picture-show.md): 15 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Big Short by Adam McKay", https://hackerapproved.com/p/big-short/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).