The Wolf of Wall Street (2014)

The Wolf of Wall Street is without a doubt the best film Leonardo DiCaprio has ever been in, it is also the best work Martin Scorsese has done in some time. When you look at the careers of these two men, that is indeed saying something. This film makes you laugh, exclaim in shock at the antics displayed onscreen and you come out of the cinema shaking your head at what you have just witnessed.

This film is about excess, extreme excess, in every part of life, sex, drugs, money you name it they got it. It is making quite a name for itself as having the most swear words in a film on record (506). It has also won Leonardo DiCaprio a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Comedy. The film has been nominated for four Academy Awards: Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor, Jonah Hill for Best Supporting Actor, Martin Scorsese for Best Director and Best Picture. Therefore not only are audiences loving it, the critics are loving it but the Academy voters are loving it too.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on a book of the same name written by the real Jordan Belfort revealing everything he got up to in the stocks industry in the 90's. He founded a brokerage firm and began swindling clients out of their money. Due to the unbelievable amounts of money he was making he began a life of luxury, partying and general excess. But he was being watched very closely by the F.B.I and they eventually did catch him, he was sentenced to four years in prison but served only 22 months. He has reportedly remained sober since 1998 and is now a motivational speaker and wrote a second book; Catching the Wolf of Wall Street. Both books have been incredibly successful and it was in reading the first book that Leonardo DiCaprio decided that he had to tell this story. He was a producer on the movie and knew he wanted Scorsese to be the one to direct it, he took it to him before they made Shutter Island (2008) but due to his schedule it didn't look like Scorsese would be able to make it. For years DiCaprio looked at other directors but kept circling back to Scorsese due to his desire for him to make it, he decided to wait for him and the waiting has paid off. Together DiCaprio and Scorsese have created a film that is thoroughly enjoyable but with a strong moral message; quit while you ahead being one of them.

DiCaprio's Jordan Belfort is extremely likable and it is this trait that makes the film work for many reasons, firstly without being a man who people felt they liked and could trust, Jordan Belfort would never have been able to get away with everything he did and for as long as he did. For the film, this likability was important because DiCaprio is on screen for almost every scene, that is a lot of screen time, especially when the running time is not far off 3 hours. You needed to like this character, to want to follow him on his journey. One of the best tools for this in the movie is the narration, DiCaprio as Belfort narrates the film, he even breaks the fourth wall at times, this adds a very personal touch and adds a rare connection between a character and the audience, we are not just anonymous spectators we are involved on an emotional level.

Despite everything that happens in this film, and there are a lot of things that are so ridiculous you can hardly imagine it being true, the audience are laughing. When you actually step back and reflect, this is a strange concept, in normal circumstances we would be furious; this man is stealing money from hard working people and using it for drugs, hookers and other pleasures that will only benefit him. Yet again it is Belfort's insane likability and the ludicrousness of some of the situations that makes you laugh out loud. You know you shouldn't, you know its wrong but you do it anyway.

The supporting players in this film are some of the best I have seen in a long time, Jonah Hill is at a career best, proving that he has a cemented place in the drama genre if he wants it. His Donnie Azoff is the right hand man to DiCaprio's Belfort and the chemistry is immediately evident. Another fantastic performance is the relative newcomer; Australian beauty Margot Robbie as Belfort's second wife Naomi. There is something instantly likable about Robbie and she gives off a very down to earth vibe, even in this role which shows she has no fear and gives it everything she's got. It doesn't hurt that she is the most beautiful woman to have walked into Hollywood in years but it is her acting ability that is going to take her far. She is absolutely a rising star and I have no doubt we will continue to hear big things from her. In the best yet smallest part I have ever seen is Matthew McConaughey continuing his run of brilliant acting roles. He plays Belfort's boss at his first job on Wall Street and it is his personality but more importantly the corrupted advice that he gives the young Belfort that leads him on his long downward spiral and fall from grace.

There are many great scenes in the film but one of my favourites was not one of excess or comedy but for me it was a key scene. The audience do not want Leo's Belfort to get caught, we are along for the ride and enjoying his indulgences so we root for him rather than the F.B.I agent played brilliantly by Kyle Chandler;  sarcastic and determined to drag him down, watch him fall and he is going to enjoy it. But in a brilliant sequence playing to the narration and then a modern take on the song Mrs Robinson, there is a shot of Chandler sitting on a train reading the headline that he helped produce 'Stratton Oakmont's Belfort Sentenced'. He puts the newspaper down and looks around at the people on the train, all everyday working class people, and the lyrics 'every way you look at it you lose' play. This is perhaps accidental but I doubt it, it seems that the agent who has spent years trying to bring down Belfort has not got the satisfaction he thought he would get, at the end of it all he is still sat on public transport making his way home after a long day with rubbish pay . In fact given the change of circumstances would he have done any different with the options Belfort had? There is a hint of jealousy and a lust for Belfort's lifestyle earlier in the movie and in a brilliant move Scorsese has not only Chandler's agent but the audience reflecting on whether or not we would  have done any different in those circumstances would we want to have that lifestyle ourselves despite what would have to be done to get it?

This is perhaps that greatest thing about Scorsese's movie, you will come out laughing but you will take a long hard look at yourself and wonder how you would handle yourself in those shoes. If you haven't seen the movie, I really don't know what you're waiting for, a front runner for best movie of the year no doubts about it 10/10.