Great exposition of the excesses of Wall Street

Rating: 9/10 (27 January 2014)

Great exposition of the excesses of Wall Street. A warts-and-all examination of how greed corrupts and drives people, and of the more hedonistic side of human nature.
Superb story-telling by Martin Scorsese, aided by Terrance Winter's (of Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire fame) excellent screenplay and Jordan Belfort's own book.
Yes, it is three hours long, but it doesn't feel like it. It is that engrossing and fast-paced. The only time I did feel it was a tad too long was near the end, as some of the run-ins with the law and legal wranglings seemed like padding.
Hilariously funny at times, while still preserving a biopic's sense of drama. In some ways, this is a minor problem, as you veer from screamingly funny scenes to dead-serious scenes, and you keep waiting for a punchline.
Excellent performances all round. Will be interesting to see if Leonardo Di Caprio finally gets an Oscar, as the Academy seem determined to never give him one...
Jonah Hill almost steals the show though. Well deserves his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. His transformation into a dramatic actor is complete.
Good support from a host of stars, not all of which have prominent roles: Rob Reiner, Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Kyle Chandler, Joanna Lumley, John Favreau, Shea Wigham. Excellent performance by the stunningly beautiful Australian actress Margot Robbie as Belfort's second wife.