Picture the scene, quite
literally. You’re sitting down to watch this film that you've heard is nearly
three hours long; you expect a slow burner, a slow build up featuring pages and
pages of dialogue in true Scorsese style. However low and behold, within three
minutes you've seen it all; strippers, marching bands, flying midgets, the
works. This is Stratton Oakmont, and this is the riotously magnificent Wolf of
Wall Street.
The story covers the rags to
riches and back to comparable rags story of Jordan Belfort, a man who was, in
his own poetic words “shit out” by Wall Street on Black Monday. Nevertheless,
he gets back on the saddle and has soon made his own firm dealing with, and
manipulating, what are referred to as ‘penny stocks’. Things escalate and
whilst Belfort, Donnie Azoff (Hill) and the rest of his friends are living the
high life, they inevitably catch the eye of every financial regulation agency
under the sun as well as the FBI. To all intents and purposes, the last hour is
a Wolf hunt.
Critics with much more of a sense
of morality than me said that this film glorified excess, and that was a bad
thing, but I think the opposite. The parties and antics the characters get up
to are hedonistic to the extreme, and you never see the lives that these
brokers undeniably destroyed. However, when you take it for what it is, it’s
impossible to not enjoy this film. DiCaprio as Belfort is majestic, with all
the superficiality of Jay Gatsby and the immorality of a common crook you
shouldn't like him, but he’s so overwhelmingly charismatic that he’s just a joy
to watch. The speeches that he gives on the trading floor are inspirational to
say the least (the “nobility in poverty” speech is incredible) and when you
couple that with the excellent comedy throughout it does create what talent
show contestants would refer to as an ‘emotional roller-coaster’. You go from the heights of comedy to the emotional
depths of a man whose crown is slipping at the end – which in turn perhaps
conjures up the most shocking scenes.
First and foremost this is a comedy,
and it delivers throughout. It ranges from slapstick humour (usually Hill) to cutting
wordplay. The support cast supply most of the laughs, with Hill on fine form in
particular. However the small role of Mathew Mconaughey as Mark Hanna is quite
brilliant. He, in just 5 minutes or so reflects the utterly insane nature of
Wall Street and gives the young Belfort a glimpse into the future. There’s
enough flesh on show to make Game of Thrones look like prudish, particularly
coming from the stunningly incredible Naomi (Margot Robbie), and enough narcotics
to make Heisenberg blush. Throughout you get the feeling that all of Belfort’s
bravado is there to stick the proverbial two fingers up to the Street that dashed
his dreams and in another pair of hands that could get repetitive; not Scorsese’s
and DiCaprio’s.
The film is long, no doubt about
it, but the pace of the action doesn't make it feel boring or drawn out. A few
scenes are perhaps a bit too wordy and long, however the overall picture flows
beautifully. It’s one of the bravest films to come out of Hollywood ever, a
glamorisation of all of the vices and financial immorality that has caused a
stir even as recently as the 2007/8 crash. But overall, you will love the antihero,
you will marvel at the decadence, you will howl (get it) with laughter and finally
you will find yourself uncontrollably humming and banging your chest for weeks
to come. AWOOOOO.
92/100
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