“The Wolf of Wall Street,” directed by Martin Scorsese, is a dark comedy based on the life and career of former Wall Street magnate Jordan Belfort. The screenplay, written by Terence Winter, is based on the memoir Belfort penned after spending several years in federal prison for white-collar crimes. The star-studded cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Risa Aziz, Jonah Hill and Rob Reiner.
The film opens on Wall Street in 1987. Young, handsome Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, has recently landed a lucrative job as a stockbroker. His mentor, Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) schools him in the sleazy, debauched lifestyle of Wall Street’s top power brokers. Despite his obvious talent and willingness to succeed at all costs, Belfort is fired after the plummeting stock market decimates his company’s assets. Depressed and listless, he laments his loss and considers changing careers. Belfort’s wife, Teresa, played by Cristin Milioti, has other ideas. She helps him find work at a tiny investment firm that deals exclusively in penny stocks. Before long, Belfort is one of the company’s top brokers and becomes exceedingly wealthy. Not content with his success, Belfort eventually founds his own company with his friend Donnie Azoff, played by Jonah Hill. He hires his own parents to handle the firm’s accounting needs and brings on several more friends as brokers. The company, Stratton Oakmont, is an overnight success. As the money pours in, Belfort and his associates indulge in designer drugs, expensive prostitutes and luxury goods. Belfort develops a major cocaine problem and also abuses prescription sedatives. Blinded by drugs and power, he divorces his wife and quickly marries the beautiful Naomi Lapaglia, played by Margot Robbie. She is pregnant when they wed and soon gives birth to a daughter.
During preparations for his whirlwind wedding, Belfort learns that Stratton Oakmont has become the target of an FBI securities fraud investigation. He is determined to outwit the investigators and opens foreign bank accounts to hide his assets. Stratton Oakmont employees regularly smuggle cash into Switzerland and deposit it in the secret accounts. This temporarily hinders the investigation, but the FBI eventually uncovers enough evidence to levy huge fines and hefty criminal charges against Belfort and his company. In a last-ditch effort to minimize the damage, Azoff tries to convince Belfort to resign from Stratton Oakmont. Belfort considers the idea but ultimately rejects it.
It takes the FBI another two years to arrest Belfort. In the intervening time he has broken free from his drug problem and hopes to rekindle his romance with Naomi. He negotiates with the FBI and agrees to help them gather evidence against Azoff and other Stratton Oakmont employees in exchange for a light sentence at a federal prison camp. The data he provides leads to dozens of arrests and convictions. Naomi files for divorce, and a heartbroken Belfort heads to Nevada to begin his prison term. As the film ends, the recently released Belfort is enjoying work as an inspirational speaker in New Zealand.
“The Wolf of Wall Street” is a hilarious, irreverent and unapologetic romp through the heyday of Wall Street excess. As Jordan Belfort, Leonardo DiCaprio is simultaneously likable and utterly repulsive, oozing superficial charm that masks a reptilian disregard for the interests of others. Matthew McConaughey is a surprisingly good fit for the role of Mark Hanna, Belfort’s first boss, who initiates him into a lifestyle saturated with illicit drugs, fast cars and loose women. Hanna’s lugubrious personality and manipulative skills make a great impression on the young and adaptable Belfort, who follows in his mentor’s footsteps with astonishing speed.
Jonah Hill is wonderfully repugnant as Donnie Azoff, the dumpy former diner employee who becomes Belfort’s right-hand man. Beneath his chubby, jolly exterior, Azoff is a ruthless, deviant narcissist who happily encourages Belfort’s cocaine addiction and eagerly brings his talent for money laundering to Stratton Oakmont. It is a partnership made in Heaven. With Azoff’s help, Belfort becomes a ravenous adrenaline addict who pursues business deals and beautiful women with equal abandon.
This three-hour film hits the ground running and affords few opportunities for the audience to catch its breath. Its pace only increases as the increasingly drugged, power-mad Belfort zooms all over the world in private jets, yachts and luxury cars, scamming the IRS and dodging the FBI. His eventual arrest is almost a relief, both for the audience and for Belfort himself. It is only after the arrest that he is able to stop, reflect and think about his actions.
“The Wolf of Wall Street” does not sugarcoat the legendary indulgences of Wall Street royalty, and it also refuses to glory them. It simply presents Belfort’s memoir with all its heinous behavior, leaving judgment up to the audience. This entertaining, cautionary tale is often funny, always outrageous and is an excellent reminder that absolute power causes absolute corruption.
