The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is a pretty hilarious film to have a conversation about. Either you're talking to people who love film in general who talk highly about this film's script, performances, and exploration of a darker side of America's 1%...or you talk to people who see it as a pseudo Michael Bay rip off, with more sex and boobs than Piranha 3D. It's a fascinating movie, that's for sure.

Leonardo DiCaprio leads the film as Jordan Belfort, a rags-to-riches-gone-wrong salesman who makes his living as an obvious con artist in the stock market. The story, based on the memoir by the real life Jordan Belfort, explores the lives of those jaded by extreme riches, with lives filled with drug overdoses, infidelity, and a general lack of responsibility. The film, for me, was absolutely fascinating. It portrayed a lifestyle I have never even considered. Sure, we imagine infidelity amongst all social levels, and we think the worst of the richest in America right now. But not with this awkward, bittersweet, almost frightening interpretation. It makes you laugh, both out of genuine hilarity and positively awkward moments. The true dangers of drug usage ring as both hilarious AND truth, an unusual balance.

Everyone in this movie is just amazing. Obviously DiCaprio absolutely owns this film as the charismatic, powerfully passionate lead. He makes us laugh, he pisses us off, and plays a terrifyingly believable unbelievable asshole. Jonah Hill takes a close second in my mind, both being funny and real, genuinely ignorant but passionate in luck. He has a great character change, one of pure ignorance to a new type of ignorance, a happy and blissful one. Even my least favorite actor, Matthew MaConaughey, manages to take his horrendously unlikable personality and make it enjoyable.

It has to be said though. There is one, big, BIG thing that pissed me off about this movie. And maybe I'd forgive it in any other film. But this is a Scorsese picture. I'll hold it to that level. What pissed me off? I counted at least 7 times that we saw shots from behind a talking character, with clearly incorrect mouth movement. Clearly incorrect. Not forgivably correct. That really pisses me off. For a movie with such a high concept, and with such a strong set of performances, this blatant poor editing upset me.

But then again, that doesn't detract too much from this films interest and passion. It works. And it works freakin well.

Rank - 4.5/5