The Wolf of Wall Street Review

The Wolf of Wall Street

4 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The Wolf of Wall Street is a masterpiece that ends 2013 with a bang. This is a new American classic, one that will be remembered years from now as one of Scorsese and DiCaprio's best works ever.

The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the true story (and book of the same name) of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). He's a filthy rich stockbroker living the good life. He's married to the smokin' hot Naomi (astonishing newcomer Margot Robbie). He lives in a gigantic mansion and owns a yacht that was remodeled so that a helicopter could fit on top of it. He's a little ticked off that he's making a tad under $1 million per week. But who cares when he has unlimited access to drugs and prostitutes, and can literally throw $100s at people to rub it in their faces that that's spare change to him? (He calls them "fun coupons"). Jordan makes money by taking advantage of the dumb and innocent, and that doesn't bother him one bit. In fact, he's proud of it and literally humps the air when dumb clients make stupid transactions with him. Throughout the course of this film, we follow Jordan from his humble beginnings as a young, hungry struggler to his glory days as a cocky, swaggerific hustler. With the help of his strange friend Donnie (a sensationally weird and creepy Jonah Hill), we see him build a total empire out of the cash and tears of the poor, an empire that is his dream playhouse -- and our worst, perhaps even envied, nightmare.

The Wolf of Wall Street is pure spectacle. For 3 lightning-fast hours, director Martin Scorsese blesses us with dizzying, exhilarating cinema that leaves you breathless, exhausted, and stunned -- you won't know what hit you. Wolf is like a ridiculous cocaine trip with infectious energy and dazzling pizazz. The way that the film is so beautifully but crazily shot and edited truly accentuates Jordan's unbelievably wild world. It's amazing that at 71 years old, Scorsese can make a film as high octane as this. I don't know how he did it, but for the entirety of this film, I was absolutely captivated. Never did my mind wander. Never was I checking my watch. Never did I think of anything else besides this movie. I just got pulled into this darkly humorous and delicious intense world of sin, and I couldn't have been happier.

Working off of a brilliant and riotously funny script from Terrence Winter, Scorsese presents to us a world without morals; one that will horrify yet fascinate in equal measure. Scorsese makes Jordan's story shocking but oh so mesmerizing. He gives us glimpses into Jordan's messed up head. He makes us crave a lifestyle of infinite power and wealth, a world where you can do whatever you want and escape the consequences. Surprisingly, Scorsese does this with so little judgment. He does not sugarcoat this story one bit or turn it into a pitiful cautionary tale. He simply allows us to get caught up in the life of his seedy protagonist and invites us along for the most insane ride ever.

Jordan is a character that we should hate. He has no redeeming qualities about him. And even by the film's surprising ending, he never learns anything. He doesn't have a full arc or change his ways. He simply continues to live by his rules and lead the life that he desires. So with all of this in mind, why are we so drawn towards Jordan Belfort? It's because of Leonardo DiCaprio's tour-de-force performance.

DiCaprio is one of my favorite actors of all time. He's done countless works that prove why he's one of the greatest actors of his generation. But with The Wolf of Wall Street, I think he has outdone himself and given the best performance of his career. This is the finest performance that I've seen from any actor -- male or female -- in 2013. DiCaprio deserves the Oscar, and every other award imaginable. Who knew that he could be so damn funny? One of the best, most infamous scenes in the film involves Jordan and quaaludes. I won't dare spoil it for you if you haven't yet seen the movie, but honestly, it's one of the most astonishing feats of physical comedy I have ever seen.

But it's not just the comedy that DiCaprio kills. His commitment to this crazy character is off-the-charts. When he gives his speeches to his minions at work to rally them up for a day of exploitation, DiCaprio explodes with infectious enthusiasm and palpable intensity. Hell, his delivery is so magnetic that you might even be tempted to scream like a wacko. DiCaprio oozes charisma. That's why I was so drawn to Jordan. I even feel bad for saying this, but at times, I was so into this douchebag of a character that I actually wanted him to get away with some of the horrible stuff that he was doing. All the credit in the world must be given to DiCaprio for making us care and sometimes even love a character that is the embodiment of awful. I was entranced with this monster as much as I was with this entire film.

From its fantastic "in-your-face" intro to its mind-blowingly brilliant final frame (it's seriously one of the most haunting and thought-provoking final shots I've seen in any movie), The Wolf of Wall Street is a flawless, flooring piece of work. Forgot how controversial Wolf is, and how much uproar it has caused. You think perfection doesn't exist at the movies? Think again. This is the darkest and smartest comedy to come out in years. It had me laughing like a madman, and yet, it also had me tense and horrified to the core. Only the most impeccable, masterful cinema could do that. I couldn't stop thinking about this film; so much so that I had to see it a second time, and I know that that wouldn't be my last. The Wolf of Wall Street is one for the ages.