Movie Review: The Wolf of Wall Street

Based on a true story, The Wold of Wall Street follows Jordan Belfort as he builds his wealth as a stockbroker while dodging the FBI and managing a severe drug problem. This film was nominated for five Oscars but lost out to other big 2013 contenders. Did The Wolf of Wall Street get robbed or did it earn its losses?
The Good

The best thing I can say about Wolf of Wall Street is that everyone involved is excellent in their performances. Leonardo DiCaprio is in great form, as usual, bringing what I think is probably one of his best performances ever (second maybe to The Departed). Other familiar faces come and go but the standout supporting role definitely goes to Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff, Belfort's best friend and business partner.

In a film like this, it would be very easy to play it straight; serious drama, no laughs or detours. Instead, director Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Terence Winter (both nominated for Oscars for the film) chose to create a quirky, funny and sometimes downright goofy lense through which we experience the horrifying world Jordan Belfort inhabits. This humor is definitely need as without it, I'm not sure I could have made it through to the end.

The Bad

Oh my God is this movie long. It just, doesn't end! Three hours to be exact. Now, I've watched plenty of three hour movies. Some are better than others but the best ones make the time go by quickly mostly by varying the story, showing us new things and switching it up often. Unfortunately, The Wolf of Wall Street drags us through the same scenarios over and over. The cycle is starts with something like "Hey we're getting really filthy rich" then "Now we're getting really high and having sex" then we're reminded it was all illegal and we start the cycle over again.

Amplifying this excruciating run time is the fact that everyone in this movie is terrible. There is no moral compass, no one for us to latch onto as a positive force in this world. I'm certain this is intentional, highlighting the utter lawlessness of Wall Street and those hooked on the money it brings; but without some sense of the good, the bad just seems ordinary as we as the audience just drown in a sea of drugs, sex, and more drugs over and over again. The problem comes when we're told to care whether Belfort quits or not. I didn't care. Sure I hoped he'd get arrested, which is something at least, but then again the FBI agent was kind of an ass as well so I kind of hoped he wouldn't get the satisfaction.

The Verdict

In the end, The Wold of Wall Street is not a bad movie. It suffers from an extremely bloated run time and lacks any heart at all, but the humor and the quality performances were enough to see me through-barely.