I’m not completely sure this movie was good. I think it was, but I’m still not sure. However I do know one thing: It was in-FUCKING-sane.
This movie was a true story. Jordan Belfort is a real person. Stratton Oakmont was a real company. I read Jordan’s autobiography, which is even more insane than the movie. But I digress.
The movie is framed almost as a companion piece to Goodfellas. We have the same almost gleeful narration by the main character. Who’s not at all repentant. He’s sorry he got caught. Good old Marty Scorsese and writer Terrance Winter (Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire) give us a powerful narrative and sneakily call all of us out.
Jordan rises in the financial industry by 1st pushing penny stocks as if they were good investments (the commission on them is 50% as opposed to 1% on stocks traded on the NYSE or other actual exchanges), then having established his company, using his traders to push stocks he wants (and secretly owns) thereby driving up their value, then finally by secretly taking ownership stakes in companies before taking them public.
He commands absolute loyalty from his employees (followers) by being open handed with his ill gotten gains and creating a highly pornographic workplace. I’d almost want to work there but I’d either overdose or get the clap inside 3 weeks.
His rise is meteoric and so is his fall. But the real problem is us. What do we do when we hear his story? We want to learn how he did it. So we can strike it rich. After Marty calls Jordan out for being a piece of shit, he calls us out for letting him.
Jordan lost all his money and family and went to jail. He sold out all his loyal employees to the FBI. But he wrote a book about what he did that sold a metric shitload and he travels around the world being paid multi-thousands of dollars per appearance to teach people how to sell (manipulate). Most of us want to be like him. I mean not me, I’m a pillar of morality.
But, like in Goodfellas, we don’t really care about the tragic fall. We’re in it for the sex, drugs, and rocknroll. After watching the movie, I really really want to have a quaalude. There’s a scene involving several ludes that have a “slow fuse” that is immediately classic.
Jonah Hill is actually an actor folks. He showed us in Moneyball and confirms it here. He holds his own with heavyweights. He plays the worst human being most of us have ever seen. And frankly, it’s hilarious.
Jon Berenthal (Walking Dead) gives a great turn as Jordan’s drug dealer. His character is also probably the best salesman in the movie. But he doesn’t need Wall St, he makes too much money with quaaludes.
And Margot Robbie. Good God she’s great in this film. 1) the aussie absolutely nails the bay ridge accent. 2) She’s hot as all hell. 3) Besides her looks she is an absolute seductress. And apparently and aspiring dominatrix (the character not the real girl, outside of my brain anyway). And even if all that weren’t true, she’s a very talented actress.
Enjoy this carnival ride of debauchery. Try and catch the point but it’s not necessary for enjoyment.