Synopsis: Based on the true story of Jordon Belfort an 80's stock trader who played fast and dirty with other people's money, women, alcohol, drugs and anything else expensive he could get his hands on.
Stan's thoughts: This film has earnt plaudits and criticism in equal measure. On the one hand it is highly entertaining and funny and the three hours running time pass by surprisingly quickly. On the other hand, the victims and consequences of Jordon and his cronies behaviour are notable by their absence.
Jordon Belfort - a Leonardo DiCaprio on find form - and chums are despicable and immoral and nothing seems to be out of bounds just as long as they are making heaps of cash and having a good time.
In an interview DiCaprio said the aim was to tell the story through the eyes of Belfort who had no moral compass. Fair enough. He then said that the real Belfort now spends his time teaching responsibility in financial trading but the problem is that in the final scene that just doesn't come across. We see Belfort teaching sales technique using a method he himself was taught.
I'm sure there will be plenty of people who, like me, will rankle at least a little at the behaviour portrayed in the film and be tinged by guilt by being so entertained by it; it almost becomes intoxicating and that concerns me slightly.
So I have a dilemma. This is a highly entertaining film but at a cost. It needn't shove morals down your throat but just shade of something would have satisfied.
Ratings
- Stan's: 80%
- IMDB: 86%
- Metascore: 75%
- Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
- RT audience rating: 82%
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