Kyle Hadyniak

For The Maine Campus

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is the result of a seamless cinematic trifecta. An outstanding lead actor, a confident and experienced director, and a meaty, exhaustingly-well-written screenplay combine to create a movie that is quite simply peerless.

Based on the true story of Wall Street banker Jordan Belfort’s corrupted rise and fall in the late 1980s, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is unabashed in its extreme take on the tainted super-rich atmosphere. Leonardo DiCaprio achieves a career-defining performance as Belfort, the ex-Wall Street salesman who lives a luxurious, drug and sex-ridden lifestyle leading his own illegal investment firm. Throughout the three-hour movie, we see Belfort transform from an enthusiastic, innocent Wall Street investor to an animalistic money-crazed junkie, and watching this transformation is nothing short of brilliant.

To call Terence Winter’s script “fantastic” is undercutting it. Belfort’s introductory fourth-wall monologue sets the film’s darkly-comedic tone and highlights the thrilling, senseless lifestyle that accompanies corrupted wealth. Sharp writing and skillful editing makes the lengthy running time less dull, and Martin Scorsese’s signature directorial touches provide an eccentric telling of Belfort’s career. The screenplay effectively illustrates Belfort’s arduous lifestyle of drugs, sex and money. Scorsese and DiCaprio pull no punches here; nudity, drug use and language are in full-force, completely earning the movie’s R rating.

DiCaprio’s performance is a sheer spectacle. On the media circuit, he has said “The Wolf of Wall Street” drained him, professionally, and the sheer dynamism DiCaprio dedicates to Belford makes this claim evident. Belfort’s exhausting drug use, sex-crazed parties, and rabid behavior are effortlessly portrayed by DiCaprio. The fact that DiCaprio is equally convincing as the innocent Wall Street broker seen in the film’s beginning as he is as the clever, over-sexed, drug-addicted playboy at the film’s end is a testament to his skill. DiCaprio solidifies his acting virtuosity in “The Wolf of Wall Street,” shamelessly jumping into the roller-coaster ride that is Belfort’s life.

The supporting cast is excellent as well. Jonah Hill offers a surprisingly varied performance as Belfort’s friend and business partner, Donnie Azoff. Hill brings his comedy chops to “The Wolf of Wall Street,” but it is his drug-crazed moments and tender exchanges that are expertly portrayed. Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, and Rob Reiner round out the cast, each offering their own unique and powerful character moments. It is when the cast comes together, like during Belfort’s crazy office parties or his animalistic drug-induced gatherings, that the movie is at its best.

Harkening back to the explicit screenplay, the film’s mature content really sells Belfort’s wild way of life, giving DiCaprio a catalyst for his diverse and remarkable performance. Explicit sex acts populate many scenes, while drug use is ubiquitous. Moreover, swearing is as common as regular speak, offering more than just the occasional comedic one-liner or punchy exchange. However, none of this is unwelcomed or brazenly over-abundant. The mature content fits perfectly with the Wall Street lifestyle, selling the movie’s atmosphere is a remarkably effective way.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is simply a masterful movie. Those who are worried about the bloated running time can be assured the movie will hold your interest, not a difficult feat considering DiCaprio’s endlessly-energetic performance and the story’s mature nature. When the credits roll, one can’t help but feel exhausted by the irrational, obscene lifestyle produced by the corrupted super-rich.

A fascinating insight into American greed and exploitation, “The Wolf of Wall Street” demonstrates human vice at its worse. Not many movies are apt on sending that kind of message, making “The Wolf of Wall Street” an ironic breath of fresh air.

Grade: A