That's a pretty fair summing up.
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johnnyutah79 — 9 years ago(September 06, 2016 08:57 AM)
I also had a few smaller problems with some of the details, and the two most grating ones were a technical one and a plot one: firstly, when Belfort first passed his Series 7 and joins the brokerage firm, he was around 25 years old, and when the whole scheme collapsed around his ears he was around 12 years older, 37, yet Leo looks EXACTLY THE SAME throughout (basically 40-ish, which is how old he was), and even though he's a handsome guy, the wrinkles around his eyes (the pronounced crow's feet and frowny folds between the eyes) do betray his age - he doesn't look 25. Some might say a 25 year-old doesn't look TOO different to a 35 year-old (even though they wouldn't be quite correct), but aside from the passing years, Belfort's years of drug abuse must have also had SOME semblance of effect.
Even if you think this is a minor complaint, the reason this annoys me is because the main scene where we are introduced to the supposedly fresh faced 25 year-old "young" Belfort (when he meets McConaughey's character in the restaurant), where his face is mostly still, and shown in the most clear, well lit detail, is a short scene, so WHY ON EARTH didn't Scorsese bother to make him younger at least there? They wouldn't have had to keep it up any longer than that one scene, and they didn't have to go to the lengths Benjamin Button's people did to make 45 year-old Brad Pitt look 19 again, but at least go to some small effort! A bit of skin stretching behind the head and some digital airbrushing and it would have been wholly convincing, without much trouble. Stikes me as laziness or complacency.
You know something, you have a point, and you just reminded me of something else I didn't like, which is similarI did not like DiCaprio's "look" in general for this role. Sorry, he's just too young looking and boyish looking in general to play a sleazy Wall street italian, leader of a big sleazy stock broker company (not sure belfort's background, but he looks Italian or somewhere mediterranean.and i know of course Dicaprio has italian blood in him, but he doesn't look like belfort or the "olive skinned, black hair" conventional italian look).
Like when he is speaking in front of his workers, supposedly motivating them, screaming and everything, I just wasn't buying it. it was just Dicaprio. I didn't see Belfort or a Wall Street player in that scene. I wasn't buying it.
It might be related to what you are saying with age and all.
Now take Boiler Room and contrast that for instance. In Boiler room, from Ben Affleck to Vin Diesel to that other guy (I think his name was Greg in the movie or something), and also in that the leader who speaks to them in the motivation talk before they get the hookers: I believed all of them and could actually see all of them playing sleazy shysters and swindlers on Wall Street selling their stocks and IPOs to naive customers.
I really just didn't buy DiCaprio in this movie being Belfort. The only scene where I thought he "nailed it" was at the very end with the pen, the final scene, but I'm not even sure of that. That being said, I thought DiCaprio's acting was "good" and might have been the only thing that saved this badly written movie, which sounds paradoxical, but his talent along with the supporting actor did make it somewhat funny and entertaining, but nothing to take serious.
Some might say a 25 year-old doesn't look TOO different to a 35 year-old (even though they wouldn't be quite correct)
Can you explain this a little more? Does this mean a 35 year old sees a 25 year old the same? or that people think 25 and 35 in general look the same? Just interested.
It's never realistically addressed, so it's a frankly bizarre set-up for the start of a long friendship and partnership, and should have been handled better, don't you think?
You know, I see what you mean and the big word that stands out to me here is "realistically". I had a tough time believing many of these similar types of scenes in this movie, even though it's based on a true story. The whole time I was thinking "this couldn't be how it really happened", even how he met his blonde second wife- the scene played out too unrealistically, and as a viewer, you think you are watching a true story. -
Monknificent — 9 years ago(September 13, 2016 03:21 PM)
Some might say a 25 year-old doesn't look TOO different to a 35 year-old (even though they wouldn't be quite correct)
Can you explain this a little more? Does this mean a 35 year old sees a 25 year old the same? or that people think 25 and 35 in general look the same? Just interested.
Well, it's like this: for
some
, fairly few genetically blessed people (but who also take reasonable care of their faces - mainly staying out of the sun and harsh weather/always wearing sunscreen, moisturising, even with the cheapest creams available, a good, healthy diet, not smoking and getting enough quality sleep every night), the differences in looks between 25 and 35 are relatively small, in fact small enough for the average observer to even say "oh, he/she looks the same now at 35 as they did 10 years ago" - insert weak vampire / goat foetus joke here - "hahaha". For someone more versed (say, a plastic surgeon) or with more attuned observational skills, the differences, small though they may be, will be noticeable, and the differences between 25 and 39, obviously even more so.
With people who work outdoors in all weathers, or very regularly enjoy outdoors pursuits, particularly certain professional athletes, such as windsurfers/mountain bikers, and many others, or those who have a damaging lifestyle (smoking, bad sleep habits, bad diet - for instance, sugar has been shown to be very damaging to skin), the difference in looks from 22 to 40-ish will be (scarily) obvious!
"It's too late Always has been, always will be
Too late." -
Jey047 — 9 years ago(April 30, 2016 07:25 PM)
totally agree. I'm watching it now and can't believe people actually liked this crap. I'm convinced that all the people critics and awards people talking up this piece of beep of a movie are just a bunch of sycophants.
this is like Wall Street for morons. -
hannahrose313 — 9 years ago(June 04, 2016 10:17 PM)
Well, I wouldn't call it "horrid", but in the past two and half years since it's release I've come to like it less and less whenever I think about Scorsese's filmography. The movie simply paints Jordon as a "bad" and indulgent person, but seems to have little under the surface. While most of Scorsese's characters do bad things, they at least have some redeemable or sympathetic qualities or are easy to empathize with. Some may believed they are justified in their actions, use a life of crime to help others, or are portrayed as morally confused. Simply put, I just feel this lacks the depth that Scorsese's films are so famous for having.
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Einsteinrosenbridge — 9 years ago(July 02, 2016 06:07 PM)
The character is not interesting enough to make a biopic. Everyone is aware of the excesses of the 80's and 90's with Stocks. Movies from Wall Street to Boiler Room have covered this topic. So he is just another guy who practiced excess in his life and that really makes him no different then a movie about a rock star, movie staretc.
You look at Goodfellas - an inside look into the mob, Departed - an interesting odd story, Aviator - fascinating world renown character Wolf had none of that.
Not compelling at all. -
moviedilan — 9 years ago(July 20, 2016 10:43 PM)
It had a unique narritive with its fluid use of the 4th wall.
Its brief 'advertisements' (The stock firm itself at the begining, the yacht, Jordans arrest) durring the story, were fresh.
It had excess in debauchary to a degree Hollywood has never seen before. It pushed boundaries, and broke records.
It maintains a 3 hour run time with entertaining scene after another.
This is not the best movie ever, but it is far from horrid. Its not trying to move you (12 Years a Slave), Its not trying to tell an epic tale (Lord of the Rings), Its not a groundbreaking feat of cinematography (Gravity). Its just trying to tell a gangster story. Its not in the top 10 movies, its not even in the top 100 movies. Why are you complaining as if it booted Shawshank off the top spot. If you don't like it, good for you, don't let your kid watch it then, but as far as the general public goes, its a well praised piece of modern cinema.
Good day
"Well thats just like. your opinion man." -
Monknificent — 9 years ago(September 05, 2016 11:43 AM)
Completely agree with you, EinsteinRosenBridge, I wrote my pretty comprehensive thoughts on the film a few posts above this before I actually read your post, see what you think.
"It's too late Always has been, always will be
Too late." -
cohoman — 9 years ago(July 27, 2016 08:52 AM)
I'd like to add my name to this person's post. I 100% agree! I felt after seeing this movie that I watched a porn movie. What disturbs me the most about movie was in the last scene where Leonardo DiCaprio (Jordan Belfort) after serving his time and losing all his money and his wife and his kids he goes right back where he was in the beginning trying to find someone who is a good salesman by selling a pen. Then the camera pans out showing the audience all with eager eyes wanting to be picked, implying that what he's doing is what we all want to be doing. I think this shows a lot about the character and the person of Martin Scorsese.
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cheeso65 — 9 years ago(July 27, 2016 09:35 AM)
I think this shows a lot about the character and the person of Martin Scorsese.
No, it shows about the character of Belfort, and the people who look up to him, and the society that created him and allows people like him to get away with it. Scorsese is not one of those people. -
pardi-505-125733 — 9 years ago(July 27, 2016 11:32 AM)
No, it shows about the character of Belfort, and the people who look up to him, and the society that created him and allows people like him to get away with it. Scorsese is not one of those people.
Sure does. Regardless, I was entertained for 3 straight hours. loved it. -
cohoman — 9 years ago(July 31, 2016 01:49 PM)
I guess after thinking about it you two are right. (cheeso65 and pardi-505-125733) I shouldn't make a judgment on Martin Scorsese character. He just putting a movie together and trying to make it as entertaining as he can.
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