Debauchery As Entertainment

Rating: 6/10 (9 January 2014)

Scorcesse must be in his element relating a sordid tale of Wall Street criminals because he cloaks the massive amount of depravity as entertainment as only he can do. He gets maximum help by a stellar performance by Leonardo DiCapprio who easily makes the amped-up story of Jordan Belfort more than palatable.
It's not easy to admit this film is enjoyable entertainment because at the end of the day it glorifies some of humanities worst possible turns. As if gobs of money makes evil somehow noble. Obviously, this was the goal and to that Scorcesse has perfected it. Simply put, without DiCapprio's likable persona this may have been too dark to stomach. Way too much illicit sex, drugs, and stealing glossed over to readily accept...Except there's DiCapprio's way with the viewer which somehow makes one watch in spite of what you know is all wrong. Though in a year of lesser movies this could give DiCapprio an Oscar there is some justice in knowing this year a caricature of white collar evil, no matter how good, won't achieve that glorification.
Yes, there is gallant stabs at real comedy relief here. It works, along with DiCapprio's role, to keep the disgust guarded. But, in reality there's a sordid tale here that is shown in horrific grandiosity with soft porn and drug glorification hovering. In the end it leaves the viewer feeling dirty as slight justice was served and so much bad seemed to be made light of. One question remains...Whatever happened to Steve Madden who likely profited from his mass sell-off, but disappeared???