And the Oscar Goes to....

Rating: 10/10 (4 January 2014)

One of these days Leonardo DiCaprio will get an Oscar. If he does not get one for Wolf of Wall Street than I think he may as well quit. Martin Scorsese and DiCaprio team up again and produce another Oscar worthy film. This duo has worked a lot in the past and they bring greatness on the big screen. Wolf of Wall Street follows Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who rose from very little to become a multimillionaire. Through all the illegal work and illegal drugs Belfort becomes a huge success but has struggles with the law. Jonah Hill delivers his best performance to date and once again proves to Hollywood that he is a talented actor. This movie has a lot of hype and for once I think it added up.
Leonardo DiCaprio once again proves why he deserves a million Oscars and why he is my favorite actor. He puts all the effort he can muster into this role. He was so good he made a three hour long movie feel like it went by like a breeze. I did not get tired of this movie, I could have watched for a few more hours. I wanted to watch for a few more hours. I forgot I was sitting in a movie theater. That is how into this movie I was. It was funny too. I did not expect this movie to be as funny and as raunchy as it was. It was amazing but I'm surprised it got away with as much as it did.
I knew DiCaprio had range but it takes a lot of talent to play this role. I couldn't think of a better man to play this role than DiCaprio. I think it was meant for him and I think this is finally the time he gets recognized by The Academy. The character himself was very complex and had a wide range. Jordan could make you laugh, cry, sympathize with him or somebody else, make you want to hit him in the face, or even motivate you to do something better. His character starts out as a normal guy starting out and he has respect for the job and the people in it, in a matter of scenes we see his transformation into the snarky businessman he is. He turns into a jerk but you still root for him and want him to succeed.
This movie does have a flaw and I think that is the beginning. The movie starts with Jordan already being a huge success and then going back to his beginning. The only thing that saved the entire segment was Matthew McConaughey. He was hysterical and the fist bumps to the chest was brilliant. He teaches Jordan everything but then it ends and then he starts his own company. I don't really think it was necessary. It did introduce the minor characters and have the great diner scene but it took away from the character Jordan. He is shown as this big shot at first and then he is normal. It was weird to see and I personally felt it hurt the movie just a little bit.
The whole cast worked their asses off, especially DiCaprio and Hill. Jonah Hill is a fantastic actor, and he is fat again. I love fat Jonah Hill. Thin Jonah Hill could not have pulled this off. Every scene he was in was great. He is one of those actors that can be funny in one scene, like his first scene in the diner. He can be serious, like the scenes in Switzerland. He can also be both, like the scene when he and Jordan take way too much drugs. That scene was the best acting I have seen on a long time. Both Jordan and Jonah Hill's character have a pill addiction and they take too much of a stronger version and they were higher than anyone I have ever seen. The crawling around and attacking on the phone was supposed to be a serious moment but it was so funny. The seriousness of the situation was there but it was still funny.
I almost wish I worked in that office. These guys looked like they had a blast at work. If Jordan was my boss I would buy and believe everything he said. When he was at the microphone giving his motivational speeches I felt like I could be a stock broker. I honestly thought about stopping WillyT Reviews forever and going to Wall Street, well not really but it was that believable.
Overall, Wolf of Wall Street was a damn good movie. I don't think it was an instant classic but it will do good come Oscar Season. I think DiCaprio gets the win for best actor. The movie itself gets at least a nomination for best picture. Scorsese gets the nod for best director and Jonah Hill for best supporting role. I don't think they will win but what do I know? In a few years this movie will probably be forgotten or overshadowed by another great movie but for now it is a gem and a masterpiece. This wasn't just a good movie for the comedy or the sex or the drugs. All of those things mixed in well to a good story with fantastic characters. Add the direction of Martin Scorsese and you get The WillyT Seal of Approval.