Martin Scorsese is arguably one of the best directors of all time. With films such as Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Cape Fear and Casino under his belt, I’m sure many would agree. The Wolf of Wall Street is Scorsese’s latest offering, and one of his best – which says a lot considering the films mentioned above.
This outrageous (and true!) story marks the fifth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio. It focuses on a stockbroker named Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio) the self-proclaimed ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ whose world-class salesman techniques made him a multi-millionaire by the age of 26.
As brilliant as Belfort’s tactics are, they’re often not legal, and he’s eventually investigated by the FBI for fraud and money laundering. On paper, this sounds like you’re typical crime drama – believe me, it’s not. A large portion of The Wolf of Wall Street centres on the hilarious, excessive and immoral ways that Belfort chose to spend his money. He makes Russell Brand look like Mr Darcy.
DiCaprio is the perfect casting choice for the lead role. He plays a part here much more controversial than his character in Django Unchained, and yet he doesn’t come across the slightest bit out of his comfort zone. He deserves the Oscar (Best Actor) he’s been nominated for. The same can be said for Jonah Hill (nominated for Best Supporting Actor) who plays Belfort’s right-hand man and fellow criminal. Hill provides the most laughs throughout the movie (as expected) but also impresses during his more intense scenes. He’s come a long way since playing the guy who wanted to ‘buy shoes’ in the 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Despite my five star rating, there are things about The Wolf of Wall Street that many will dislike. Some may say that this film wrongfully glorifies the life of a criminal. It contains more F-words than any other movie drama so far, and the amount of nudity is extreme.
If you’re able to see past the controversial factors surrounding the movie, you’ll see a film that’s brilliantly directed, superbly written, and fantastically acted by all.
Catch The Wolf of Wall Street (and much more) now at Showcase, Peterborough. For show times visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and follow them on Twitter
Mikey Clarke
Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama & Comedy
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Jean Dujardin, Cristin Milioti, Rob Reiner, Jon Favreau, Kyle Chandler, Matthew McConaughey & a cameo from Belfort himself – look out for him.
Running Time: 3hrs
Director: Martin Scorsese
See it if you liked: Goodfellas & Casino
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