When one decides what movie to choose at the theatre, varying by personal taste it may be the day for a thriller or an action film to satisfy a mere full theatrical experience. Upon arriving to a small local theatre on Cape Cod for a late night spontaneous flick, I was surprised to run into a professor I had for a film critique class in the fall. After saying a brief hello, I wasn’t surprised to learn that we were both catching an empty screening of the latest big screen blockbuster Wolf of Wall Street.
Needless to say, after watching Leonardo DiCaprio snort a sea of prop cocaine off a blonde bombshell’s bustier to seeing Jonah Hill jokingly peer pressure Jordan Belfort into trying crack for the first time to hearing “F***” 506 times – I can admittedly report that I left the theatre with my head tucked in my hood, slightly embarrassed to have seen the same graphic content as a professor I greatly admired. After reflecting for a minute or two in the parking lot, the sheer embarrassment was rooted from the idea that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the film.
Often times when stories are converted into a screenplay the essence of the tale can be lost due to the added extra Hollywood element. Based on a book written personally by Belfort himself, director Martin Scorsese somehow was able to convey the concept of life on New York’s Wall Street into a fun, adventurous story that the audience follows along with throughout the highs and the lows of Belfort’s crazy life. Although there was an immense amount of vulgar material that may have seemed a bit unnecessary to the art of the film, it had a dense impact on the outlook the audience had towards this Wall Street moguls crazy mind waves.
DiCaprio, playing the lead character Belfort, a young man who lives throughout all the troubles a rich man could possibly attract – from the F.B.I. on his tail, to the allure of cheating on his second wife after getting caught by the first, to overdosing on his favorite rare drug of choice, Belfort is not one to miss a beat. Starring Jonah Hill as Belfort’s right hand man, the goofy partner in crime character of Donnie Azoff who quickly learns the strings of Wall Street as he grows into success unexpectedly with his mentor.
As a man who quickly figures out his way to enter himself into the luxury life of a millionaire in the ’80s and ’90s, Belfort is an immense unstoppable power-hungry businessman that sees no limit for the amount of money that he can retain. With a daily routine of a roster of illegal drugs and snappy whited narrative to accompany the story, Belfort’s character becomes extremely entertaining within a matter of minutes of the film’s start.
A film that flows together in the most magnificent way, regardless of how twisted Belfort’s thought process may have been or how crossed his game plan was – at the end of the day, you always wanted him to find a way out. You truly want him to get away with all of the naughty, cruel, crude behaviors that he engages in throughout the story. As Belfort continues to exploit his clients and resources, he learns more about himself proving that the moral values do exist in most humans regardless of how deeply they may be hidden.
It is no wonder that after a month at the box office, this instant classic is still coming in strong as viewers are choosing Scorsese over any currently running movie in theatres at the moment. Both Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio have both been nominated for Academy Awards for their performance in Wolf of Wall Street, showcasing their talent. Starring in a film that has a wide range of dark comedy, realistic drama and luxurious densities – this story was shot in such a manner that it is certain to reach the likes of Pulp Fiction and Easy Rider. A film that exemplifies a lifestyle that we have always wondered about but could never relate to, living through a series events that could only happen to a character. With a star-studded cast, a famed Hollywood director and an interesting true story to guide a screenplay from, there is no doubt Wolf of Wall Street will create buzz for many years to come.
