The Wolf of Wall Street2013

Scorses-a-thon So here we are at Wolf of Wall Street, undoubtedly one of Scorsese’s best. And it really highlights how empathetic his movies are. Here’s an asshole that I should absolutely hate, and there are moments where I can really relate or sympathize with him. There are also plenty of ridiculous, out-of-touch moments, but we need these other moments to remind us that this is a real person.  Definitely a spiritual successor to Goodfellas, with many similar ideas and a similar feel. Just about stock brokers instead of the mob. But what’s the difference? I also think this is probably his funniest film, with out-and-out ridiculous slapstick, which I think this movie really needs given the length. It definitely doesn’t feel like a 3-hour film, and if it was shorter, it would feel rushed. A movie this long by most other directors would be a nightmare to endlessly trudge through, but with Scorsese, it’s a delight.  All of Scorsese’s films are incredibly casted, but this film is really star-studded. Also, maybe my favorite Leo performance. He is all in in a way that is so funny, and he’s not afraid to look incredibly stupid. In a word, committed.  One of the all-time greatest movies and top-tier Scorsese. P.S. Something I didn’t mention in my review is how at the wedding they play the Goldfinger theme. Which is the perfect summation of the character. Loving excess for its own sake. And always craving more. He’s like the conquistadors searching for el dorado and just like for them in reality it’s no physical place. It’s not something you can touch. It’s a feeling. A thirst. An itch. And it can never be quenched. An addiction.  “All the things you wanted to be and then all the things you wished you never wished for. It was a delicious itch you want to scratch but you find it under the skin and can't reach it. So the delicious itch becomes unbearable. It told you what you most want is what you most can't have and that the most you can't have is what you already had and lost. It was a song of all the promises I failed to keep. And it told me I don't really want to go home.” The movie literally says it in the opening so it’s not like a secret. But everything we see reinforces that fact. And not just for Leo but for every single character in the film.  I think it’s in all of us. We all want more. But do you have the fucking balls to get up and take it? It’s already yours. Just grab it and don’t let go. And then grab a little more. And more. It’s yours. You’ve earned it. You deserve it.