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THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Earns its “R” rating: salacious, scandalous sex (ancient Rome’s Tiberius, a distant second) voracious drug use; total absence of accountability and bereft of a moral compass; debauchery, greed, Olympian ambition, addiction; based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, the “wolf” whose heroic rise to millions, and ultimate collapse is depicted in the film, based on the book he wrote, while serving less than two years, in a federal penitentiary.

Director Martin Scorsese plummets audiences for three hours with excessive, exhausting raunchiness; an exposé of baseness, crassness, turpitude unlikely to be matched, or forgotten.

Leonardo DiCaprio is sublime as the shameless visionary whose mantra was “the best way ethically to persuade anyone to do anything”,” or “do not hang up until they buy or die”; devoid of ethics, Belfort founded the firm of “Stratton Oakmont” ( late 80’s), at its peak, employing over a thousand brokers; his inspirational, rabble-rousing speeches, surpass “Gordon Gekko”; mesmerizing mania; employees writhing, salivating, cheering, lusting for more; celebratory orgies, where privacy is anathema, decency de classe, humiliation reigns;  gluttons, in the quest of exorbitant, fraudulent financial gain; conspicuous consumption on steroids, “Quaaludes”.

Jonah Hill, terrifically-matched with DiCaprio, is “Donnie Azoff”, a neophyte attracted to Jordan’s messianic aura; introduces Belfort to drugs and they soar; their plastic-plated IPO’s, stratospherically climb, as their dignity, boundaries, human decency plunge, at nose-bleed velocity;  their gargantuan wealth, instead of awakening a sensitivity for the have-not’s, fuels an egregious elitism, defining themselves by their purchasing power; sickening arrogance, vulgar displays of erotic behavior, coke-snorting, alcoholic, barbarians. The veracity of the story is inconceivable .

Margot Robbie, as Jordan’s second wife “Nadine”, holds her own with megastar DiCaprio; Nadine is gorgeous, at times clueless, but with an innate sense of intelligence and cunning. As Jordan tumbles into inevitable liability, the marriage falters; a remarkable scene evolves from intense intimacy to blatant violence, Nadine the pyrrhic victor.

Jordan Belfort, phoenix-like, continues to rise from the ashes of his despicable existence;  presently a “motivational speaker”, author, talk show celebrity; owing millions in reparation, the government will deduct 50% of his yearly income for life. DiCaprio gifts him an insouciant charm but nothing can mask the untold, unmitigated damage he did to his unsuspecting clients and in tandem to a legitimate profession that has benefitted countless corporations, municipalities, and individuals.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” continues to crawl, lurk on the periphery of acceptability; pouncing on the unsuspecting; all should be wary, people of his ilk can be irresistible, magnetic and poisonous.

THREE & 1/2 STARS!!!

For Now……..Peneflix

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8 comments

  1. The Wolf of Wall Street was easily the most awful film I have ever sat through. Three hours! Could not deCaprio and Scorsese have spared us (edited) some of the debauchery….we get it….we are grown ups…it became repetitious and borderline boring. On Charlie Rose they both said how much fun they had, they did not want it to end……worse, they held us all captive and I had to pay to attend the party!! If this film gets even one nod from the Academy I am going to be very unhappy.

    Three and a half stars Penelope??!! Is that for endurance?

    • No for diCaprio’s stunning performance; and Hill’s matching role. Yes, it was an icon to excess; also saw them on Charlie Rose and they testified to the veracity of the tale.
      Excellent comment. Thanks and Happy New Year. P.

  2. irresistible, magnetic and poisonous. Just those words make me want to see this movie, but I might wait until it’s out on DVD.

    • It is difficult, but a true story about blatant excess, but if you can rise above the rauchiness, the acting is celestial! Thank you< P.

  3. BORING! Nothing new, although Leo was excellent. Really did not like this movie, could not wait for it to be over. Of course, saw this right after “Inside Llywn Davis”, which I loved! Coen brothers capture exactly what was going on in the Village at that time, and as you know……. I know! Bea

    • Appropriate comment; many are in your camp; but in this case “that’s what makes markets”.
      Missed you at Beethoven 9th! P.

  4. Hmmm….mixed reviews here. I will watch this because it’s Scorsese.

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