The corrupted American dream

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2014)

The Wolf of Wallstreet depicts the life of Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), a stockbroker who corrupts or is corrupted by, depending on your viewpoint, the financial Valhalla that was Wall Street in the 1990s. As a young, ambitious broker in a major company, his youthful enthusiasm quickly develops into ruthless ambition, fuelled by his boss, a short but powerful role by Matthew McConaughey.
The first half of the movie portrays Jordan in this transformation. All the remnants from his ordinary middle-class life, including his car, house and down-to-earth girlfriend, are promptly shed and replaced by the Wall Street equivalent, including the stunningly beautiful but opportunistic Naomi (Margot Robbie).
Jordan's life appears to be fantastic, with more money than he can spend, despite all his efforts to that end, a family man by day and a young god with drugs, alcohol and prostitutes by... well, also by day. However, he is unable to control his never-ending greed and his high-speed life starts to spin out of control, until the bubble bursts and his empire crumbles before his eyes.
The Wolf of Wallstreet is a rollercoster ride, in many ways analogous to Belforts life. The extravagant three hours of running time fly by, taking the viewer from New York halfway across the world to Italy and back, showing us all the riches and all the pitfalls of his decadent life.
The question has been asked whether it is morally acceptable to sponsor this criminal, which Belfort undoubtedly is, by viewing his movie en masse. This is nonsense from a juridical point of view, since Belfort was convicted for his crimes and served his time, and he is allowed to return to society like any other convict, but moreover, it is not what this movie should be judged on.
This movie shows us the temptation of unlimited wealth. Jordan's life attracts and deters, invokes admiration and disgust. And it is not just the crooked soul of a lone Wolf. Even once ordinary people like Donnie Azoff, played by the excelling Jonah Hill, contribute to Belforts disgraceful excesses.
Jordan's philosophy is most strikingly characterized by an early scene in which we see him driving his flashy red car. The car was white however, says Jordan's voice-over, and hence it promptly shifts colour. You can shape life, like you can shape the car. You can have the fast, beautiful life embodied by that white Ferrari, if you want it badly enough. The corrupted American dream.