About two months ago, I saw The Wolf of Wall Street in theatres for the first time. And then I saw it again a week later, and again, and then one more time for kicks. The reason I saw it originally was because of my love of Martin Scorsese films, and since its release on Christmas Day this past year, I have seen his newest cinematic project four times in theatres and about three more times illegally online. One could say that that is a bit obsessive, especially regarding a film that did not even win an Oscar this year, but I don’t believe awards solely assess the greatness of films. I truly hold The Wolf of Wall Street as the most entertaining, explosive, and simply awesome film of this past movie season. The film is a biographical account of the life of Jordan Belfort, a fraudulent penny-stock broker from Long Island with a ravenous hunger for wealth and power, which explains his logical title as the Wolf of Wall Street. In possibly the most uncensored, raucous, and contentious manner imaginable, Scorsese documents the illegal business ventures and wild, racy escapades of Belfort and his partner Donnie Azoff, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill respectively. The story is narrated by DiCaprio as Belfort as he chronologically retells the tale of his enormous success with his brokerage firm, Straton Oakmont and his wild ride involving drugs, prostitutes, and the FBI along the way. The plot begins in 1987 as Belfort quickly becomes immersed in the fast pace, boisterous world of Wall Street, and just as quickly, loses his job due to the recession of 1987, known as Black Monday. He finds work at a small office in Long Island selling penny stocks for virtually no money but with fifty percent commission. Using his conniving attitude and deceitfulness, Belfort begins to accumulate wealth fast. He later meets Donnie Azoff, who agrees to start a business with him. With Donnie’s help, Jordan opens up Straton Oakmont, an organization of con-men selling penny stocks to the public for high prices. As Jordan Belfort and his firm grow in power and accumulate more and more wealth, the audience receives a first-hand, raw view of the perks of the high profile broker’s life. In an uncensored and seemingly glorifying fashion that is customary to Scorsese films, we see Belfort’s addiction to heavy drugs, strippers, prostitutes, and basically everything materialistic. Also, throughout the movie, Belfort is investigated by an FIB agent with a humble, middle class background and distaste for the arrogant and wealthy elite. The film, as it is a true biography, ends with Belfort being sent to prison for securities fraud and not complying with the FBI’s demands. Yet, it is clear, at the end of film, that the rich do not lose the same way ordinary people do.

The Wolf of Wall Street is easily identified as a typical Scorsese film from the blatant cursing and rampant nudity. The unchecked, no-holds-barred style is very similar to other films of his such as Casino and Goodfellas. Knowing the film was directed by Marty, I expected a great deal of touchy subjects and raw debauchery characteristic of his Rated R style. In my honest opinion, I believe the explicitness regarding topics that are normally frowned upon in society was one of best aspects of the film. With minimal censorship and tradition of seemingly glorifying humanity’s vices, Scorsese is able to truly kidnap the audience from the censored, suppressed world and bring them into a world of no limits and no care. Although many people have criticized the film for venerating greed, corruption, unfaithfulness, and vanity, I found that what made The Wolf of Wall Street so great were those aspects themselves: a honesty and openness concerning the vices of human nature. By documenting the life of a protagonist who has embodied so much of what society rejects, seeks to steer away from, the film portrays the unaltered reality of human nature in a society that prides wealth and power. For two hours and forty-five minutes, the audience can live in fantasy world with Belfort enjoying the perks of not following the rules, not doing what the rest of the world expects. For a brief period, the audience can depart from the expectations, burdens, and pressures of normal society and simply experience the fun of wealth and materialism.
Another element that made the film so phenomenal to me was the exceptional acting. DiCaprio and Hill feed off of each other with an honest and comedic relationship on screen. They did a fantastic job of expressing the nature of humanity in the face of wealth, power, and even lust. I find that to evaluate the acting and script of a film, they both must contain a level of authenticity and entertainment. Firstly, the acting must be executed with a level of authenticity so that the audience gets a feel that the film they are watching could candidly be in real life and not just behind a camera. This is achieved through the authenticity of the script’s dialogue and the delivery. However, a film could seem too authentic in that there are very little elements that create the fantasy that films are supposed to offer, which is a main reason people watch film to begin with. In my opinion, great acting and a great script include elements of both the realism and fantasy a film should have. The Wolf of Wall Street was phenomenal in achieving this since the dialogue and relationship between characters seemed quite realistic while many of the wild escapades and comedic moments provided the fantasy. Now, no movie is perfect by any means including this one. My primary criticism of the film was the longevity. First of all, I found that film was a bit longer than I think it should have been. Many of the elements such as Belfort’s rampant drug use and unquenchable sex drive seemed to be quite repetitive, showing up a bit too many times throughout the film.
Nonetheless, The Wolf of Wall Street was a fantastic film about American greed during the era of Capitalism through the storyline of Jordan Belfort’s life as a stockbroker. I feel that all film enthusiasts, especially lovers of Martin Scorsese’s work should undoubtedly watch this piece. Although, it did not win any Academy Awards, it is a must-see because of the sheer enjoyment and roller-coaster-like experience I felt. Obviously, the content in this picture is appropriate for adults only considering the vulgarity and explicitness in the film. Also, the film displays a great deal of sexism which some women may find offensive. It is crucial to approach this film with as much discretion as possible. Even so, this captivating film will show viewers the life of being a wolf in a world of sheep.