In Martin Scorsese’s latest crime opus, The Wolf Of Wall Street, he dumps organised crime in favor of bizarre but good old-fashioned white-collar crime and the results are still exhilarating.
Long time collaborator Leo DiCaprio and Scorsese have created a blistering portrait of the so-called “Wolf Of Wall Street”, Jordan Belfort. Based on the book of the same name, it tells the story of how Jordan Belfort cheated the system and in turn made obscene amounts of money.
DiCaprio plays Belfort and the portrayal isn’t kind. With Belfort coming off as a complete douche bag, DiCaprio somehow manages to wring some empathy from a horrible character. Jonah Hill, as Donnie, is a great foil for DiCaprio, with the two owning the screen whenever they are onscreen together. Hill more than holds his own against DiCaprio, even when DiCaprio is on a rampage. Margot Robbie is stunning, producing a breakout performance and one that more than keeps up with the guys. The rest of the crew that Belfort brings together are also portrayed as douche bags, but also as complete idiots that Belfort moulds into his image. Rob Reiner makes a return to the screen and is outrageously good as Belfort’s angry yet sympathetic father.
This film is ridiculously crazy. It is just so frenetic sometimes it is hard to keep up. The film is excessive in its treatment of the subject, but stays close to the source material. The film is all about excess and it revels in the excess, in the drugs, in the money and in the girls, making it a grotesque and spectacular event. Scorsese rarely lets up, chopping and changing, catching you off guard with jarring edits and with long streaks of the darkest humour you can find. Even though the film clocks in at just under three hours, it never seems to be over staying its welcome.
A lot has been said about the film glorifying this lifestyle. I certain don’t agree with that assertion, as whilst it shows everything in all its glory and the lead actors are charismatic, I think it just shows everything as it was and it is up to your own moral compass to decide where all this sits in your own personal structure. Anyone can see these guys were clearly out of control and anyone who thinks that the film glorifies this is clearly projecting their own issues back on to what they see.
The Wolf Of Wall Street is one of Scorsese’s finest films. In equal parts funny, horrific and outrageous. The acting is all around superb and whilst the subject matter isn’t exactly nice, it is certainly exciting. A great study in how money brings out the worst in people.