So I finally got around to watching one of this years most popular Academy Award nominees: Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. I will admit that I was dubious; from what I had seen of trailers, it seemed like a well-made film with very little substance. Luckily I was proven wrong, and the film managed to grab my attention from start to finish.
However, if you're expecting something that will blow your mind and cast itself alongside the greats, I don't think this is it. The dialogue is witty, but dependent on some creative language, and too often the plot is lost in a whirlwind of sex and drugs. While this is arguably the focus of the film, sometimes it feels that the three-hour runtime was in fact just to include more boobs, rather than to add much to the story. Don't be put off by these downfalls; Leonardo DiCaprio is as captivating as ever in the lead role as Jordan Belfort, and Margot Robbie effectively steals the scene from those around her, showing off some considerable acting skills.
Fast-paced scenes, sharp dialogue and impressive sets, The Wolf of Wall Street is visually as slick as the millionaire businessmen it portrays. DiCaprio's direct address to the camera is our own little insight into the lives of the characters, a device that impressively changes our view on the film. If we weren't drawn into the film's world through this secret 'friendship' with Belfort, feeling much sympathy with him would be near-impossible. Scorsese's decision to create the viewer as complicit in the action of the film serves to make us a part of this world, to root for Belfort, despite his downward spiral of drugs, alcoholism, and fraud. This is worrying; the character appears to show little remorse for his actions, and his behaviour in regards to his wife and children is shocking. This is emphasised by the knowledge that The Wolf of Wall Street is based on a true story; would we root for Jordan if he weren't played by the ever-charming and handsome DiCaprio?
Jonah Hill shines in one of his best roles yet, and offers a little comedy amongst the haze of high-class living. One memorable scene (in fact, THE memorable scene) features Belfort and Donnie Azoff (Hill) fighting off the effects of a very strong drug. Surely DiCaprio should get his Oscar for this alone- never did I think audiences would laugh so hard watching a grown man attempting to open a car door. However, the representations of drugs in the film are a little problematic. There appear to be no real consequences to drug use (except for a severely scratched car) and even when having taken a great deal of drugs, no one seems to have any real adverse effects. Perhaps the moral standpoint would have been to show a more negative view, but as the film works from the autobiographical source material, this would have been tricky. Maybe this film should be followed by an immediate viewing of Requiem for a Dream- similar characters, just not quite as good with numbers. 
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