“Sell me this pen.”
When the discussion of the greatest filmmaker of all time is thrown into the round tables in the film community, a various answers are thrown to the mix. But if you ask me who’s the greatest filmmaker of all time, it’s hands down Martin Scorsese. While it maybe true that Paul Thomas Anderson is my FAVORITE filmmaker of all time, I don’t think there’s any other filmmaker out there that has constantly push his filmmaking style, the medium of film, and challenging himself with every project he makes, it’s Martin Scorsese.
For more than 50 years, Martin Scorsese has created films that not only pushes the boundaries of what film can achieve, but also landmark many genres in ways that no other filmmakers has accomplished. I mean he has it all. From crime dramas, to period romances, to spiritual experiences, to personal portraits of a person’s life, to even whimsical adventures for kids. And not only does he has them all, but they are consent in terms of quality. How the fuck is that possible? That’s Martin Scorsese for you guys. So to celebrate his birthday, I decided to revisit a classic that showcases both his talents as a filmmaker and proves to us that even at his old age, he still has that life and energy in him. Of course I’m referring to The Wolf of Motherfucking Wall Street (and yeah, I dropped an F bomb, because this film is filled with so many F bombs, so why not).
Where to begin? I mean this film is freaking nuts. It’s filled with sex, drugs, money, violence, and so much vulgarness that will leave the audience so much exhausted by end. From second one, it brings you a 3 hour long roller coaster of all of it constantly thrown at your face and you’re on board with it or not. While I can understand that it won’t work for everyone, it completely work for me. And that’s because through the lens the film has on it’s back. This film that plays into the hyperinflation of a young man who is filled with money and power that messed with his mind and we are seeing the story through Jordan’s point of view. Hell, he’s even narrating the film constantly with how crazy his life is through either voice over or breaking the 4th wall. It’s a typical rise and fall story that we have seen so many times (even in pervious Scorsese joints like Goodfellas or Raging Bull), but not in the way that plays into the hyper satirical look on the modern American ideal lifestyle that’s filled with horrible acts of humanity that most people tend to ignore when they’re in a position of power and fame. So while I can understand the notion ain’t going to work for some audiences, I think it works because even tho we are seeing terrible people doing terrible things, we’re seeing from the perspective of someone who has experience in a chaotic and awful field like this.
This also connects to the tone and feel of Wolf. Because of the crazy, hypertension, and drug inducing vibe of the whole story, the tone is constantly upbeat and energetic. Leaving a lot of scenes being absolutely hilarious across the board. Even tho there are problematic shit in the film that makes you feel bad for laughing your ass off at, the way presents these things through the sharp and witty dialogue, the way certain scenes are filmed and edited, and the actor’s performances that makes so many scenes comedic gold. But the comedic moments don’t shy the more serious and dramatic scenes at all. In fact, it allows those scenes to linger and hold on with. Showing how important these situations are and not constantly glorified these horrible acts, no matter how much they show how good these things are. Making the tone has a sense of urgency and energy throughout it all but not going through the sacrifice of one tone for another.
Martin Scorsese’s direction is simply unmatched. It’s crazy that he was in 70’s while directing this film and this film has the same energy as a filmmaker who’s in their late 20s. He has this percussion of having the visual presentation having a purpose in each scene and allowing the camera play as an equal important character as the rest of the film. There are a lot of close ups, slow motion moments, long wide beautiful takes, static movements, and expertly care attention to detail scenes in this film that doesn’t lose sight of its energy and personality to it all. He does a great job of allowing the camera express the emotions of the characters without saying a lot of dialogue behind it. Scorsese’s directing is also aided to Rodrigo Prieto’s stunning cinematography that provides a lot of bright yellows and oranges and sharp contrasts with the colors to make them feel more hyperbolic and more glamorized but not enough to where it gets too saturated with its color. It’s a beautiful looking film. Not to mention the editing by Scorsese’s long time editor Thelma Schoonmaker is precise and kendtic. So many scenes of the film that are cut so quickly and often cut mid dialogue. Which could be annoying in any other film, but it works here because the film plays like a drug drip. You can go from one moment of a life, then randomly go to a different moment with no explanation to it; and this film reflects that drug like feel so effortlessly with the editing style.
But with the visual style and storytelling set and go on the table, you need a set of great actors to play off these characters so effectively and amazingly, and this film delivers on it so effortlessly. Starting with the Wolf of Wall Street himself, Leonardo DiCaprio. Holy shit, what a performance he gave in this film and yeah like everyone else, I wished this was the performance that got him the Oscar. This role plays into Leo’s strengths and mannerisms we see out of him and gives life to Jordan Belfort unlike anyone else could. Giving the hyperbolic, money power inducing, and energetic personality to an awful person like Jordan and make us like him in a weird way despite how how he is to himself, the people around him, and the way he treats everything around him. Not to mention of how this film plays into the point of view of Jordan Belfort and how mad hungry he is for money, drugs and power he is that allows his extreme screaming, yelling, crying, and hyper personality to the role so perfectly. I didn’t see Leo in this film. I saw Jordan Belfort and that’s how good he was in this film.
But this isn’t just the Leo show through and through. As the rest of the cast is equally as amazing. Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff is a scene stealer and plays off Leo so freaking well that even allows to play off his own mannerisms in their strengths. Even channeling a bit of Joe Pesci in a certain scene that’s one of the films manny highlights. Margot Robbie is both stunning and equally as great with providing such great comedic chops (especially the scene where they argue about the golf course people and Venice) and her chemistry with Leo is both hilarious and messed up when giving the deep root of it all. Kyle Chandler is great as the FBI agent trying to take Jordan down and he provides a sly and reasonable personality while also more stoic vibe into his character that works as a great juxtaposition to the rest of the cast. Even the smaller roles from the likes of Rob Reiner, John Bernthal, and Matthew McConaughey are great and insanely memorable as the main cast.
But there’s one point I want to make about this film that needs to be address. It’s how people perceive the whole message and ideal of the film. Some are taking the lifestyle of Jordan Belfort and declares it as a healthy lifestyle to live by. Which is wrong on so many levels, because the film under neath of its energy and fun vibe is an anti American dream. It’s more of the American nightmare. Where anyone can do any criminal act, scam so many people, treat people as object for their own pleasure, and be rich and famous instantly. That is morally wrong and dangerous, and the film does a great job of showing the dire consequences of living that toxic lifestyle and even explains to the audience that no one should be living like that at all. Yet so many people (especially a bunch of dude bros) are missing the entire point of the film that it makes me scare for the world around us. Because if we get more corrupt people like Jordan Belfort, then America is fucked. Once you can get through the glamour and faze of the film, you can see what Scorsese and screen writer Terence Winter is saying about the corrupt nature of power and fame that we shouldn’t live by. It’s all brilliant.
What else to say, The Wolf of Wall Street is one crazy, insane, balls to the wall, savage, and insane 3 hour thrill ride that goes by fast and it never stops until it’s over. It’s film that only Scorsese can mastered through its masterful storytelling, amazing performances from the amazing cast (especially from the goat Leo), stellar editing and cinematography, and a deep message of how America is screwed up and the lifestyle present that we shouldn’t live by. I get that it’s not going to work for everyone. But for me, it’s an absolute wild ride and I love every min of it.
Happy birthday Marty. You crazy, crazy, mad man.