The Big Short
Set in 2006-07, The Big Short has multiple storylines about characters before the massive recession that rocked the world. Christian Bale plays Dr. Michael Burry, who figures out that the property bubble will burst and decides to bet against it to ensure he will walk away wealthy when everyone else loses their investments.The Big Short carries a comedic tone to communicate the intricacies of the financial market, along with a stellar cast that also includes Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. It was praised for the attention to detail over the real-life event and the creativity in adapting it with a comedic style.
The Dark Knight
Many fans still argue that Christian Bale’s Batman was perfect in The Dark Knight Trilogy and the second film sees him at his peak. It follows Batman’s pursuit of The Joker as the Clown Prince of Crime wreaks havoc on Gotham City by targeting its authoritative figures in an attempt to break the Caped Crusader’s spirit.Heath Ledger stole the show in The Dark Knight as the antagonist, but Bale was also lauded for portraying the incorruptibility of the title character. The Dark Knight carries heavy themes of corruption and justice that make it the most realistic superhero movie made in mainstream cinema.
Little Women
The success of the 2019 version has caused the 1994 film to be somewhat faded in the minds of many viewers today, but Little Women remains well-reviewed. Christian Bale plays the role of Laurie, the friend and failed suitor of the main protagonist Jo, whose attempts to make a name for herself as a writer during the American Civil War are the crux of the story.Although Bale isn’t the main character, his dynamic with Winona Ryder’s Jo was met with a positive reception. Little Women was overall acclaimed for featuring distinct personalities in Jo’s household, all of whom have arcs of their own for what is a multi-layered film.
American Hustle
Christian Bale left no doubt of his penchant for onscreen transformation with American Hustle, where he was pretty much unrecognizable as Irving Rosenfeld. The film is about the con artist Rosenfeld being forced to set up sting operations by the FBI to capture corrupt politicians.While it sounds like American Hustle might be a thriller, it’s actually a black comedy that features the lackluster returns of Rosenfeld’s sting operations and his frantic attempts to do right and avoid being implicated by the FBI. Although the film failed to win any Oscars it was nominated for, American Hustle remains a critical darling and one of the finest works in Bale’s filmography.
