ESE 99
07/21/15
The Wolf on Wall Street The movie, The Wolf on Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese is a great movie for many reasons. The Wolf on Wall Street gives a deep message to viewers that reflect on the American Dream although in the movie it tells a story of a corrupted American dream. I definitely recommend The Wolf on Wall Street for its talented actors, the plot, and its unique message it gives to viewers. Having talented actors is the key to a good movie because they contribute to its audience emotions. Many viewers can relate to this movie especially to those who love money. The Wolf on Wall Street takes place in New York in the late 80’s. It reflects to the American dream to corporate greed, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of Jordan Belfort. Belfort is an American author, motivational speaker, and former stockbroker who pleaded guilty to fraud and related crimes in connection with stock market manipulation and running a boiler room as part of a penny stock scam. Belfort spent 22 months in prison as part of an agreement under which he gave testimony against numerous partners and subordinates in his fraud scheme.
In the movie The Wolf of Wall Street Belfort goes from penny stocks and righteousness to IPOs and a life of corruption. Excess success and wealth in his early twenties as founder of the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont warranted Belfort the title "The Wolf of Wall Street." Belfort came from mostly humble beginnings, and after getting married, decided he wanted something more than the life he had created thus far for himself. After tapping into his talent to sell, he begins to accumulate a great deal of money. As his wealth grows, so does his propensity to indulge in a variety and quantity of drugs. He soon finds himself having to transport his money across international lines. He waffles back and fourth between helping the FBI, until he is left with no other option. The message The Wolf on Wall Street is very fascinating. It contradicts the real American dream, which is going to college, having a career, and living life to the fullest. The American Dream in The Wolf on Wall Street isn't about becoming middle class and having your kids go to college, it's about becoming ridiculously rich. But the institutions that allow people to become ridiculously rich (Wall Street banks, etc.) are not open to people with the wrong background and without the correct connections and breeding. So in light of that contradiction, the only way for normal people to achieve the American dream is to find something that is in a grey area of the law. Thus the story depicts how Jordan Belfort took a group of losers from Long Island and turned them into sales geniuses that could sell stocks like crazy, many of them penny stocks or scammy IPOs or other schemes. The movie features several scenes where Belfort delivers powerful, motivational speeches to the brokers at Stratton Oakmont (his brokerage) and to some they may recall the famous speech of Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street." But they are actually more similar to Tom Cruise's character in "Magnolia," who gives workshops to losers purporting to teach them how to be as successful as he is with women. Even though they all lack his charisma and good looks.
It makes for an inherently interesting theme of how people who lack resources such as connections, education, social graces, good looks etc. can achieve wild success. This connects with many viewers and gives them motivation.
A perfect cast is very important for a movie. Without a perfect cast the movie will not be able to fetch much profit for its producers. It is the cast of the movie that serves as an appealing factor amongst the audiences who are lured to the cinema halls so that they can have a look of their favorite actors or actresses. The cast of the movie is even more important than the director. The movie is given importance because of its cast and it is the cast that can either make or break a movie. The Wolf on Wall Street stars Leonardo DiCaprio who is best known for playing the main role in the classic movie, Titanic. DiCaprio also stars in The Great Gatspy, Shutter Island, and etc. Leonardo DiCaprio won best performance by an actor in a motion picture musical or comedy and was nominated for best actor. Another amazing actor in The Wolf on Wall Street is Jonah Hill who also stars in an American comedy such as, Superbad, 21 Jump Street, Accepted, etc. Jonah Hill plays Donnie Azoff in the movie. Matthew Mcconaughey who stars in many great movies such as Interseller and Magic Mike also plays a role as Mark Hanna in The Wolf of Wall Street. They are all talented actors who make The Wolf on Wall Street an enjoyable movie.
Costumes and makeup play an important role in visibility and aesthetic. Makeup is necessary for ensuring that the features of an actor's face are easy to see and don't get "washed out" by the bright stage lights. Costumes perform a similar function, since a skilled costume designer will avoid colors and designs that are too pale or intricate to be distinguished by the audience. The Wolf on Wall Street was released in December 2013, for it takes place back in the late 80’s. The production did an amazing job by making it look as they were in the 80’s. The costumes are perfect and all the details through out the movie make it seem real. All the actors in the movie also did a perfect job by having a New York accent as well.
Clocking in at 179 minutes, “Wolf” sets a record as Scorsese’s longest fiction film, but that doesn’t make it his most ambitious or deeply felt. “When the movie is really cooking. Which is often, there’s a feeling that scenes are being held for a few beats too many, that Scorsese and his ace editor Thelma Schoonmaker simply didn’t have enough time to do the elegant fine-tuning they’re accustomed to an impression reinforced by several conspicuous continuity gaffes and badly matched cuts throughout the film”(variety.com). Overall the movie still has good graphics and one cannot tell where the cuts were made.
Overall, I definitely recommend this movie for people over the age of seventeen because it is rated R for sequences of strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and the language throughout, and for some violence. It is humbled and shameless, exciting and exhausting, disgusting and illuminating; it's one of the most entertaining films ever made about loathsome men. Three hours will go by quick and would want to see more after it is over. The Wolf of Wall Street has great production, an extraordinary plot, has very talented characters, and a unique message.