In this case it would have helped if Scorsese would have taken more artistic liberty in his interpretation

Rating: 7/10 (15 February 2015)

I am a great fan on Scorsese's previous works depicting the rise and fall of a power hungry individual. I was expecting to see something like Casino and Goodfellas all again, but in the end was left disappointed. Granted, there were many similar pieces in the built-up of this picture. Some of the scenes were mind-blowing in style and energy. But the grand picture was missing. In the blu-ray extras Scorsese and the actors discuss the movie, and it may give an explanation for why I felt this is the case. It seems that Scorsese and DiCaprio went for a too documentary approach on the material. In the interviews the original book was described as not any great work of literature. Without having read it I can say that in my opinion this is reflected in the movie. There is a lot of flashy glitter on the surface, but deep moral questions remain untouched. In a sense, the movie does not have a heart. It just focuses on glitzy lifestyle and the persons remain empty. One cannot very well connect with them. In my opinion it would have helped, if one would have explored more of agent Denham's side of the story and his motivations. So, to sum up, great cinematography and great individual scenes do not make make up a good movie, if the grand plot is weak. This is, in my opinion, unfortunately the case with this movie. Scorsese should have taken a more active and independent approach on the source material instead of just trying to copy it on the silver screen.