Fear and Loathing on Wall Street

Rating: 5/10 (12 February 2014)

This film is going to divide people. I don't think I've seen as many leave the cinema during a showing for so long (around 7-8 people from what was a relatively small cinema screening).
Be warned that this ain't no date movie. It may have ladies' favourites Di Caprio and McConnaughey but it's basically a script as if written by a bunch of 1990s testosterone fuelled lads from Maxim, Loaded magazine or the like. It's brash and bold, or crude and vulgar depending on your viewpoint.
It's three hours long, and comprises of long gratuitous orgies, drug fuelled escapades and very misogynistic behaviour. It does grow wearisome at times and I think they made their point early enough.
I'm no prude but I still found this uncomfortable. The characters are anti-heroes, and I found it impossible to enjoy the ride all the way through. It's lewdness from the get go and uncompromising with no real redemption at all.
There's actually little storyline, and the filming style (especially the ending) is mirroring aspects of Goodfellas but doesn't come close at all in quality terms or interest.
It's a mish mash of Goodfellas (without gangsters), Wall Street (without the finance) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (without the journalism). There's also frat party nonsense too. Don't expect that you'll learn anything about finance from this film. You won't, that's a smokescreen. 'Boiler Room' was a better expose of that part of the industry.
Okay, some of the comedy can be very funny. The lead two lap the whole script up well. It wasn't enough as I wanted a stronger storyline and sat there wondering where is this all going. You could say what made this interesting for the actors were the humorous episodes the leads get themselves into, which in isolation can be hilarious. Collected all together for a three hour viewing gets to be a bit much.
I didn't enjoy it. It's a disappointment when you look at the director and lead actor. Nothing much more I can say on it.