The Wolf Of Wall Street : Arthouse Hangover
Topping a lot of US critics lists and marking Martin Scorsese’s return to NYC (after Parisian-set “Hugo“), “The Wolf of Wall Street“ offers an intruiging concept: Based on the memoirs of criminal broker and Wall Street hustler Jordan Belfort (played by Scorsese regular Leonardo DiCaprio) the film is supposed to offer a glimpse at the wheeling and dealing of stock market tricksters, pre-financial crisis.
Sadly, however, Scorsese seems not really interested in Wall Street specifics – again and again DiCaprio will turn to the camera, start to explain the details of his shady dealings and then stop in mid-sentence, claiming “That you wouldn’t understand, anyway.“ Instead, the filmmaker and “Wolf“ seem more interested in the dodgy high-jinks of Belfort and company, doing drugs, fucking around, making huge amounts of cash and spending it in a way only befitting the nouveau riche. And while it’s fun to see Belfort/DiCaprio od’ing on ludes and trying to make it back to his Ferrari on all fours, that becomes annoying rather quickly – Scorese’s film is not the biting satire (this reviewer) hoped for, but only an arthouse “Hangover“. Recycling the basic narrative structures and filmmaking techniques of Scorsese’s excellent “Goodfellas“ and “Casino“ (arguably the last truly great movies from the director) doesn’t help, either: There’s the off-commentary provided by the protagonist, the now almost stale use of period pop tunes, an undercurrent of good-ol’-boy sexism and a partner who evolves from facilitator into liability before the movie’s over (here: Jonah Hill with fake teeth in a painfully underwritten part).
It’s still entertaining – some bits and appearances (Matthew McConaughey rocks in a cameo as Belfort’s Wall Street guide) are nicely done. Stretched out over three hours, lacking narrative cohesion and any kind of storytelling arc for DiCaprio’s Belfort, the movie is too lightweight and somewhat tiring. Unless you’re a serious Scorsese fanboy, “The Wolf of Wall Street“ will have you, once again, question modern-day Marty’s abilities and interests: Can’t the guy make mind-blowingly awesome films anymore? (Souchak)
Sadly, however, Scorsese seems not really interested in Wall Street specifics – again and again DiCaprio will turn to the camera, start to explain the details of his shady dealings and then stop in mid-sentence, claiming “That you wouldn’t understand, anyway.“ Instead, the filmmaker and “Wolf“ seem more interested in the dodgy high-jinks of Belfort and company, doing drugs, fucking around, making huge amounts of cash and spending it in a way only befitting the nouveau riche. And while it’s fun to see Belfort/DiCaprio od’ing on ludes and trying to make it back to his Ferrari on all fours, that becomes annoying rather quickly – Scorese’s film is not the biting satire (this reviewer) hoped for, but only an arthouse “Hangover“. Recycling the basic narrative structures and filmmaking techniques of Scorsese’s excellent “Goodfellas“ and “Casino“ (arguably the last truly great movies from the director) doesn’t help, either: There’s the off-commentary provided by the protagonist, the now almost stale use of period pop tunes, an undercurrent of good-ol’-boy sexism and a partner who evolves from facilitator into liability before the movie’s over (here: Jonah Hill with fake teeth in a painfully underwritten part).
It’s still entertaining – some bits and appearances (Matthew McConaughey rocks in a cameo as Belfort’s Wall Street guide) are nicely done. Stretched out over three hours, lacking narrative cohesion and any kind of storytelling arc for DiCaprio’s Belfort, the movie is too lightweight and somewhat tiring. Unless you’re a serious Scorsese fanboy, “The Wolf of Wall Street“ will have you, once again, question modern-day Marty’s abilities and interests: Can’t the guy make mind-blowingly awesome films anymore? (Souchak)