Another triumph for DiCaprio and Scorsese

Rating: 10/10 (11 March 2015)

Leonardo DiCaprio gives arguably the best performance of his career in this Wall Street/ Goodfellas hybrid which looks at the life and exploits of Jordan Belfort, founder of Wall Street chop shop Stratton Oakmont, exploring the depths of his drug induced sexual depravity.
DiCaprio narrates the film, which takes reasonable and necessary liberties with Belfort's book of the same name, taking us through his initiation into the world of stock broking through a memorable, insane, conversation with senior broker Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey), the 1987 stock market crash and his discovery of penny stocks, which give a far greater return to the broker than "blue Chip" stocks. He meets Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill, deliberately painful), and starts his own firm, making a small fortune and drawing the attention of the SEC and FBI, who send Patrick Denman (Kyle Chandler, outstanding) to investigate, It is in this investigation, starting around the same time that Belfort meets his second wife Naomi (Margot Robbie in a breakout role) that the film really hits its straps. The scene with DiCaprio and Chandler on his luxury yacht is one of the great moments in cinema this decade, and the iconic moments flow thick and fast from there. DiCaprio's speeches on the chop shop floor, a darkly funny overdose scene, and deeply satisfying moments of comeuppance (even though Belfort gets off very lightly).
Scorsese resists, and in fact openly works against, the temptation to glorify Belfort or make him the hero of the piece, showing the full depths of his depravity and amoral nature and allowing DiCaprio to create a pathetic creature, selfish, greedy and destructive with few redeeming features but managing to be so charismatic you can't turn away. It is DiCaprio's performance that allows Chandler to shine playing Belfort's opposite. Principled, driven, incorruptible and unlike every other character we see, likable. His is a welcome break in the stench given off by every other character we see, and a strong performance in its own right. You want to see him stand up to Belfort, his disgraceful worldview and his cynical and criminal use of people. You want to see him win.
This is DiCaprio's film from start to finish, with nary a second he is not on screen and he is riveting. Whether he's doing deals over the phone, sniffing crack off a woman's breasts, or giving inspirational speeches, you won't be able to take your eyes off him. Several scenes involve Belfort addressing the audience the same way we see in Goodfellas and Casino. Belfort lets us in on his extramarital affairs, drug use and illegal business operations, making us co-conspirators, and also making us feel dirty as a result. Through sheer weight of consistent great performances, DiCaprio has risen to a rare level, and must now be considered the greatest actor and star of his generation. And Like de Niro, DiCaprio's collaborations with Scorsese have become event cinema for film fans.
Of the minor players, Hill comes off the best. It is impossible not to be offended by his Donnie and filled with murderous rage whenever he comes on screen. A truly odious creation and brilliant performance. Joanna Lumley (Naomi's aunt), Rob Reiner (Belfort's father), and Jon Bernthal (a drug dealing ally) are also outstanding.
Warning to those who haven't seen the film, it contains drug use, full frontal nudity, orgies, and drops the f-bomb with equal abandon to Goodfellas. That all this has a context, and helps the director establish the morality of his story won't be enough for some to plow through it. For those who can, this is one of the very best movies of the past 15 years, featuring a great director at the top of his game, and the finest actor of this generation giving arguably his greatest performance.