Instant Classic

Rating: Null/10 (25 December 2013)

"The Wolf of Wall Street" is sure to be considered a classic in certain circles. This film will be quoted for decades to come just as some of Scorsese's finer work is today with aficionados proudly displaying the blue-ray on their bookshelves next to their copies of "Scarface" and "Goodfellas".
Much like "Scarface" from Scorsese's friend and fellow Movie Brat director Brian De Palma, the film is an exploration of the darker side of the American Dream. Also like Scarface it follows the rise and fall of an identifiably American icon, and contains at least as much drugs, decadence and debauchery if not the violence.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill produce outstandingly sketched and often hilarious characters and there is an extraordinary cameo from Matthew McConaughey who does his best sleaze-ball yet as DiCaprio's degenerate mentor.
The film is identifiably Scorsese with his trademarks all over it including his beautiful use of tracking shots. There are parts of the film with narrative structures resembling those from his other work such as "Goodfellas" and you feel that Scorsese is doing so intentionally with a wink before turning the outcome on its ear.
Sitting beside me in the cinema was a well dressed woman in her mid-50's who was clearly uncomfortable and did not find the things that the audience and I were laughing at funny at all. Those expecting an explicit left-wing screed on the evils of capitalism and cronyism (as the title suggests it might be) will be disappointed. Also disappointed will be those seeking out a neatly bundled morality play where equity and justice are clear characters. The film contains a lot of sex and "boys behaving badly" and is not necessarily fun all the family can enjoy. If you like "Scarface" and you like Scorsese's work this is absolutely a must see.