Excess Is A Good Thing in The Wold of Wall Street

Rating: Null/10 (4 January 2014)

Martin Scorsese's latest epic, The Wolf of Wall Street, delivers in true Scorsese style. The Wolf of Wall Street tells the real life story of Jordan Belfort, Wall Street achiever who cheated his investors to gain incalculable riches for himself. The movie is lush, large, high-energy, aggressive, and highly entertaining.
Scorsese is still at the top of his game. Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a stockbroker who is rising quickly at his first Wall Street position. He is intelligent, ambitious, and motivated. His manager, Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey), gives Jordan some advise that he takes to heart. Always remember: you work for yourself, not your clients. And, always persuade your clients to reinvest their earnings. There are no commissions to be made if your client withdraws his earnings. Unfortunately, Mark Hanna's company takes a dive and goes out- of-business after the October, 1987, crash.
Jordan is forced to find another Wall Street position. This time he lands at a small, "churn mill" where the salesmen con their clients into buying penny stocks. The clients are persuaded by the manipulative salesmen that, through the advise of their brokers, the clients will become rich. Things get bigger and grander. There is more of everything. More money, more sex, more hookers, more drugs. ??Jordan's partner in crime in Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill). Donnie's character provides frequent, hilarious, comic relief in this whirlwind tale.
Scorsese brings us money, money, and more money. Hookers, sex, orgies, drugs, success, excess. This movie is frantic and in-your-face. It never lets up. Jordan Belfort conducts spell-binding motivational speeches that put Billy Graham and Dale Carnegie to shame. Kyle Denham plays the role of FBI Agent Patrick Azoff. He and Jordan are good assessors of human nature and quick to discover the motivations behind the men they meet. This provides exciting opportunities to watch the two men size each other up, get into each other's head, and have fun doing it. The scene with Agent Azoff on Jordan's yacht is one of the films many highlights. The contrast between Jordan's "rules are made to be broken" attitude and Kyle's dedication to playing by the rules could not be greater. ??In The Wolf of Wall Street, Leonardo DiCaprio gives his best performance to date as Jordan Belford. Jonah Hill's timing, as well as his comedic expertise, make him perfect as sidekick Donny Azoff. Kyle Denham delivers a first-rate performance as nemesis, tenacious, obsessed, FBI Agent Patrick Denham. And Margot Robbie turns in a convincing performance as social climbing, volatile, disloyal, second wife, Naomi.tr??The critics have given mixed reviews for The Wolf of Wall Street. I find this puzzling because it is an excellent film directed by one of America's most talented directors. The script is solid, the actors first-rate, and it has a masterful director, Martin Scorcese. The criticism has been odd. Too much sex, too many drugs, not enough punishment and redemption for Jordan. Forget all of that. This is an over-the-top movie, about a larger- than-life character, with big dreams and high hopes. He lived life fully, unapologetically, and excessively. This is The Wolf of Wall Street.