As the #GameStop saga unfolds and the Davids take on the Goliaths of Wall Street who were bent on flexing their muscles by shorting the stock, I found myself watching a movie that touches on relevant themes. The rise of the underdog, a tale of greed and hedonism and in some ways, the story of the American Dream. This is the fifth film made by the team of #MartinScorsese and #LeonardodiCaprio after #GangsofNewYork, #Aviator, #ShutterIsland and #TheDeparted.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews the 2013 film #TheWolfofWallStreet streaming on #AmazonPrime. At a run time of three hours, this is #Scorsese’s longet movie but it never feels that way. This is the story of the ‘silver tongued devil’ Jordan Belfort, the self-proclaimed Wolf of Wall Street who sets out on a coked up, Quaalude popping, roller-coaster that takes him to the dizzying heights of multi-millionaire life at the age of 26. Ten years later, he is a convicted felon and then a decade later becomes a best selling author and a motivational speaker. And that perhaps is the worst summary of what is a super high octane, dizzyingly paced dark comedy.
#LeonardodiCaprio describes the movie as a sort of freeform, organised chaos where “the character becomes the plot”. Caprio is supremely brilliant as the wicked-eyed, high adrenaline gangster in a corporate suit. Both Socrsese and Dicaprio admit that it is these hedonistic characters where you can abandon your moral compass that lets them go creatively and explore insane possibilities! #DiCaprio in an interview compared Belfort’s hedonistic run to the excesses of Roman Emperor Caligula!
There are two scenes that stand out as brilliant. The first one is much talked about where DiCaprio’s histrionic improv skills stand out. In a drug-crazed sequence, he drives his fancy car back from the club and saves his buddy Donnie Azoff (#JonahHill) from choking. But the other one that belongs entirely to DiCaprio is the one on his yacht where he fends off the FBI officer Patrick Denham (#KyleChandler) in an unbelievably arrogant and souciant manner.
Jordan sets out to become a broker on Wall Street and is completely floored with his first encoder with the trading ring. The scene where Mark Hannah (#MatthewMcConaughey) teaches him some life lessons that are fascinating “The name of the game, moving the money from the client’s pocket to your pocket”. The chant and the chest thumping that Mark teaches him was improvised by #Dicaprio when he found #McConaughey using it to prep for the scene. However, Jordan finds himself out in the cold when the financial meltdown leaves him out of a job, He stages a comeback with a small firm selling penny stocks to hapless clients and goes on to start his own firm with the very Tony-sounding Stratton Oakmont.
Special mention here for Donny Azoff (#JonahHill), a steward who throws away his job to join him at this juncture and remains with him as a partner at work and a trusted friend through his adventure. The team that Belfort assembles ranges from some eccentric cowboys to adrenaline junkies who transform into punks of the financial world.
There is no looking back. Each scene gets better than the previous one. The scene where the midgets are used as cannon balls to fire people on to the target board sets the tone for the madness that is about to erupt. Some of the best parts of the film are the dialogues that Jordan uses to motivate his people “So you listen to me and you listen well. Are you behind on your credit card bills? Good! Pick up the phone and start dialing! Is your landlord ready to evict you? Good! Pick up the phone and start dialing! Does your girlfriend think you're a fucking worthless loser? Good! Pick up the phone and start dialing! I want you to deal with your problems by becoming rich! All you have to do today is pick up that phone and speak the words that I have taught you. And I will make you richer than the most powerful CEO in the United States of f***ing America!”.
#RobReiner plays Jordan’s dad who joins the company to manage accountants. His efforts to infuse some sanity are of no use and Jordan goes all out. The business keeps growing and the FBI on his tail. He movies his cash to the Swiss banks . In the process, we have some hilarious escapades with Aunt Emma (#JoannaLumley). Along the way, Jordan falls in love with Naomi (Australian actor #MargotRobbie). The madness continues unabated until the law gets ahead. I think the progressive comic decadence of the protagonist is made more poignant by the voice-over from DiCaprio.
#TheWolfofWallStreet is in many ways a commentary on the American Dream; it also dwells on the modern day financial criminals. #Scorsese credits much of the film’s success to #TerrenceWinter’s screenplay. He also works with longtime collaborator editor #ThelmaSchoonmaker. In the last scene, the real life Belfort introduced #DiCaprio who has re-modelled himself into a motivational speaker!
The film came into some controversy, setting a record of sorts for the number of times the F-word is used. One could complain about the lack of gravitas but never cast aspersion on the fact that it is eminently enjoyable. Interestingly, the comic humor and the triviality never gets the better of the underlying poignant and serious theme. And therein lies the success of #TheWolfofWallStreet !
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