The Wolf of Wall Street

An excessive movie in all possible senses with breath taking Margot Robbie and Jonah Hill which is not long in spite of its 3h length but which ends not knowing exactly which is the point of the story.

**Voracious Bull** Every time I try to enjoy a Martin Scorcese movie post-1980 I ask myself what made _Raging Bull_ so great? Did Marty burn out after his Jake LaMotta bio, the same way Coppola did after _Apocalypse Now_? These were risky movies, driven by passion, bordering on madness. Did Marty and Francis lose their natural passion for making films because industry priorities dismissed 70's-style hyper-realism for sensational summer blockbusters and CGI spectacles? And why is Scorcese considered one of the greatest director when he really only made one truly superb movie? When I first saw _Raging Bull_ in 1980 I immediately knew I was watching something that transcended the typical cinematic experience. Genius was shimmering out of every perforated frame flickering on the screen. Paul, Marty, Bobby, Mike and Thelma created something that was completely absorbing. The style and substance was perfectly fueled by a flawless emotional narrative. Every element was orchestrated just right. The audience was spellbound. We were watching greatness. A rare and unique organic creation. I'm still waiting for Robert Redford to correct a travesty of justice and hand his Ocscar over to it's rightful owner. And I'm still waiting for Scorcese to match his own brilliance. But that's like expecting Tarantino to top _Pulp Fiction_. There's a better chance Orson Welles rises up from the dead to one up _Citizen Kane_. After _Raging Bull_, Scorcese has made a string of pictures ranging from not bad to pretty good. All well-made, thoughtful and meticulously crafted films, but nothing special; certainly nothing profound. Contrary to popular opinion, _Goodfellas_ is not a great movie. I was not swept away by the saga. I was annoyed rather by the fragmented non-stop soundtrack and incessant up-tempo style. Marty wasn't risking anything anymore. He seemed to be afraid of boring the audience. Perhaps he was trying to revive the 1940's never-let-up screwball-bouncing farcical Preston Sturges and co. comedies. But this is a mafia film. This should have been right up Marty's alley. It's been almost a quarter of a century since De Niro got his face busted in a boxing ring. Since the raw, robust and naive will-power of LaMotta's youth plunged into the pathetic, brutal, bone-headed stupidity of his later years. Similarly, Scorsese hasn't registered a knock-out punch since. Would his ensuing movies be considered great if someone else directed them? Would I have liked them all better if Raging Bull had never been made? _The Wolf of Wall Street_ is another exhausting affair. It tries too hard to excite and entertain us. It's afraid of slowing down, allowing us to ponder or examine the complexities of excessive greed, shameless wealth and unbridled capitalism. It desperately wants to arouse us. Like a neglected clown at a child's birthday trying to be loved and taken seriously while draining the life out of the party. Give Leo and Jonah an "A" for effort. They couldn't have tried harder if they broke out into song and dance every ten minutes. And they convincingly appeared to enjoy themselves freely indulging in coke, ludes and naked women every five minutes. It was nice of Leo to step back while Margot Robbie took her routine and obligatory, supporting-actress hissy fit. And you know a filmmaker has a lot of faith and confidence in his work when a superfluous narration track is added, to plug those terrifying noiseless gaps. Whatever happened to poignant, suspenseful, sure-footed, gripping, emotionally-arresting dramas that take you on a nervy, wild ride to a thoroughly gratifying climax? A truly great director from Kurosowa to, well, Scorcese-(circa 1979) would have plotted the rise and fall of a maniacal protagonist along deeper and more affecting lines even at the risk boring its audience for one minute.

I didn't care for the characters, but I damn did have a great time watching 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. It's absolutely nuts, and I mean that in a positive way. Leonardo DiCaprio simply never puts an acting foot wrong, this is the sixth film I've seen of his and I love (fwiw: all 9/10+) them all. Phenomenal actor! He is outstanding here as Jordan Belfort, the guy this film is based upon. As noted, I didn't really ever care for Jordan but DiCaprio makes it impossible not to enjoy watching events throughout. Jonah Hill (Donnie) comes in with a very good performance, the type of which I hadn't previously seen from him; closest being, in terms of quality, 'Moneyball'. Margot Robbie, meanwhile, isn't easy to forget as Naomi. Though none of the following standout big, it's pleasant to see Jon Bernthal, Matthew McConaughey and Jon Favreau, among others, appear. The almost three hour run time, aside from a couple of moments, goes by fairly quickly. A big reason for that is the sheer bonkers nature of the plot, which goes in so many different directions it's impressive. It doesn't, as I've already mentioned, breed likeability for the characters but I definitely had a fun time watching it all unfold. I guess it depends on what you, as a viewer, prefer. I got the desired amount of entertainment.

When I'm Scorsese's age I just hope to still be able to chew my food and go to the bathroom unassisted. That he can still make some of the most cutting edge, visceral, and enjoyable films out there is stunning. Is this his best film? No. But, even a mediocre film for him is better than 99% of the movies being made. The performances are super-fun, the pace is relentless, the visual flare is incredible, and the story is fascinating. Is there a discussion to be had about the immorality being glamorized by this film? Sure. That's the case for a lot of his films (and a lot of films in general). We could debate his intentions with the outcome and what the film is saying about our society all day but that's another discussion. Is the film a joy to watch? Yes! It definitely is.

An amazing bio pic of Jordan Belfort that has everything you'll ever want: comedy, drama, romance, heart and the list goes on. This movie was an absolute joy. The acting was superb in this movie all around. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances of his career. Jonah Hill and Margo Robbie were fantastic! For a movie that was almost three hours, it flew by and was incredibly engaging. I can not believe it took me this long to see it. **Score:** _90%_ **Verdict:** _Excellent_

This is based on a book telling the true story of a man who saw an opportunity to con his way to a $1 million a week job fleecing would-be investors and capitalising on that one human vice that most permeates society. Greed. Initially thumped by a financial crisis, Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) is reduced to joining a ramshackle school of amateur brokers selling penny stocks and hoping that enough of those will make enough commission to live on. Quickly, he realises the truth to that old expression about every penny making a pound, though - or in this case, a buck. He quickly galvanises this team into an affective trading force that is soon seemingly making money from thin air. Give their business an old-school name to establish some market credibility and the sky’s the limit? For years it was, as this man and his friends creamed the system at will, making a fortune to spend on drugs, hookers, houses, cars, yachts - you name it. These guys knew how to play the game and how to act with impunity whilst the Feds flapped around at their ankles trying to prove that any of this was unlawful. Of course, the more they got the more they wanted. The more they got away with, the more invulnerable they felt - and fairly soon their tentacles were spreading across Europe too. Sooner or later, their chickens must come home to roost, or should that be roast? Or will they? What’s clear from Scorsese’s rather savage and occasionally pithy indictment of profiteering capitalism is that these men don’t think they are ever going to be caught or, indeed, that they are doing anything wrong. Just like the early boxers who fought their way out of poverty, these guys started off wanting for things as basic as an home, or an education for their kids, or healthcare for their parents. What harm in improving yourself? It’s not real money, so it can’t impact on real people? What struck me about this, after about half an hour, is that once we got the point about these selfish and hedonistic folks living a life of profligate excess, the characterisations don’t really go anywhere. We watch them descend into a selfish, pill-induced, maelstrom, but once we have heard the first rousing, expletive-laden, speech from Belfort extolling the virtues of their aspirations, it didn’t need to continually reinforce the odiousness of what I was watching. We get it. He’s a venal and obnoxious individual blessed with the same thing that Hitler and Mussolini were - charisma. He could sell sand in the desert by fist-pumping the air and smiling at his all too eager and gullible employees and investors alike who wanted to make a quick dollar without asking too many questions. That is the aspect of this that I would have found more interesting to explore. Why are they so successful? Who are the people of all incomes, shapes and sizes, who are investing $25 and expect to get it back ten fold without risk or without penalty? We never see any of these something-for-nothing merchants who are every bit as greedy as the Belforts of this world. If these boys could milk things so effectively why the hell can’t governments make money like this for everyone’s benefit? These guys are no Nobel economics laureates, just psyched-up cheats and losers. Despite being pretty unlikeable, there is something potently appreciable about DiCaprio’s delivery of his foul-mouthed character here. Success goes to his head, his wife loves the trappings without enquiring too deeply and they live in a bubble that is as likely to illicit envy as it is disgust from folks who might loathe the idea, but who might not behave so very differently if presented with the same opportunity. This film disappointingly focuses on the shameful profligacy and the low hanging fruit of these people, and it’s a compelling enough watch for the most part, but as an evaluation of cause and effect I though it under-delivered and took an easy route of sensationalism. Good film, though.