The Wolf of Wall Street
Composite Score: 84.17
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConnaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, P.J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, Brian Sacca, and Henry Zebrowski
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Terence Winter
Genres: Biography, Comedy, Crime, Drama
MPAA Rating: R for sequences of strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language throughout, and for some violence
Box Office: $406.88 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
The Wolf of Wall Street is the film adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s 2007 memoir of the same name, chronicling the rise and fall of the infamous stockbroker. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role, supported by the likes of Jonah Hill as Belfort’s business partner Donnie Azoff, Margot Robbie as his mistress-turned-wife Naomi Lapaglia, Kyle Chandler as FBI Agent Patrick Denham, and Rob Reiner as Belfort’s father Max. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and nominated for five Oscars – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Lead Actor for DiCaprio, and Best Supporting Actor for Hill. Its extended scenes of the debauchery carried out by Belfort and company have made it into a controversial hit, celebrated for its strong performances and filmmaking and its critiques of predatory Wall Street practices and unhealthy relationship dynamics.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
In its attempt to parody and critique the life and practices of Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street also goes an unfortunately long way in making it look cool and profitable, so long as you don’t get caught. You only have to look at the song “Jordan Belfort (feat. Dyl)” by Wes Walker and its popularity to begin to grasp how influential (and not in the way I assume the filmmakers wanted) the film was (and continues to be) on white business dudes. Drugs, prostitutes, and illegal/immoral trading practices should probably not be things you strive to include in your everyday life, no matter how rich you might be/become.
This flaw also connects to the film’s other main issue – its treatment of its female characters (obviously a replication of Belfort’s own practices). While the treatment of Belfort’s first wife, mistress, and coworkers might be historically accurate, when paired with the film’s popularity and the tendency of certain facets of the audience toward idolizing and modeling their lives after Belfort’s, it turns into something particularly troubling. Belfort cheated on and trivialized both of his wives, ultimately physically abusing his second wife before it’s all said and done. It does not paint the best picture of people who want to emulate Belfort and his lifestyle.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
As biopics go, The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best of all time thanks to Scorsese’s direction and the performances of the leading actors. The opulence and exorbitance of Belfort’s lifestyle and that of his company is captured so well by Scorsese’s cinematic vision – portraying excessive party scenes, massive estates, and insane drug use with a visual creativity that begs to be consumed. Every shot is full of detail and excess, communicating the extremes of Belfort’s greed in every frame, showcasing a life of careless and carefree living at its most amped-up, condemning it through a sheer sense of being overwhelmed.
DiCaprio and his fellow stars wade through this pool of excesses, delivering excellent performances from top to bottom. Even Matthew McConnaughey’s minor part at the beginning holds the audience’s attention (and probably helped him beat out Leo for the Oscar that year). Milioti and Robbie play the two main women in Belfort’s life – his first and second wife, respectively. Milioti’s turn as Teresa Petrillo is the perfect “first wife” performance, reminiscent of Lorraine Bracco in GoodFellas – dedicated but rejected. In what was most people’s first experience with her, Margot Robbie steals the show as Belfort’s lover and second wife Naomi – holding her own with DiCaprio at every turn and looking great while she does it. Jonah Hill is the true highlight of the film, playing the over-the-top and slightly off-putting Donnie Azoff to perfection. Had Jared Leto not given a top-fifteen all-time supporting performance in Dallas Buyers Club that same year, I have little doubt that that Hill would have an Oscar right now for his performance that really does steal the show. Obviously, the film does not exist without DiCaprio, and his rendition of sleazy but disarming Wall Street exec is one of the best of his career (maybe even his very best). He plays Belfort just as the film needs him to – easy to like but difficult to trust, never truly deserving of love, and only eventually deserving of the hate he earns at the film’s end. It’s a great performance that pushes this over-the-top film truly over the top.
The Wolf of Wall Street owes its greatness to the insanely excellent performances of its leading characters (and strong ensemble support) and the visually striking directorial choices of Martin Scorsese. Audiences’ tendencies to interpret it as a celebration of Belfort and his lavish lifestyle keep it from being as good of a film as it could otherwise be, but it’s still a quality outing from some of the best talents in the film game. It is currently available to stream on Paramount+ or Amazon Prime Video for anyone looking to give it a watch.
