Tag Archives: The Wolf of Wall Street

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

The Irishman (2019): Crime and Consequence

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The Irishman is Martin Scorsese’s longest film and a fitting maturation of the topics, themes, and genre he has developed over his vast and accomplished career. The film stars Robert De Niro (Heat) as Frank Sheeran, an Irishman who worked closely with the Italian mafia. He becomes a trusted confidant of Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci; Goodfellas) and later union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino; Heat).

Running three and a half hours, the film pulls out every trick available to keep the audience interested. It employs multiple framing narratives, from Sheeran in an assisted living facility, to Sheeran late in life, to the chronological events of his involvement in the mafia, to prevent the story from growing stale and, to Scorsese’s credit, it mostly works. There is a period later in the film, before a critical action must be completed, that it starts to drag as we wait for the inevitable, but overall the lengthy runtime seems appropriate given the decades of story covered. Digital de-aging is used on the main cast, now in their late-70s, to distinguish the numerous time periods and the technology is effective in making the actors appear different, but not to the necessary degree. De Niro appears younger in early sections, but he never appears young and while the aging process is noticeable, it is strange to see that Sheeran never seems much younger than 50.

The Irishman strikes a noticeably different tone than much of Scorsese’s other crime movies. While there is a rise and fall of criminals, the way their lifestyle is portrayed is unique. Unlike Goodfellas or The Wolf of Wall Street, Sheeran’s acceptance and growth within the mafia isn’t, even momentarily, glorified. He seems to be financially stable, but the film doesn’t have the exorbitant displays of wealth, like drug-filled parties on yachts, we would expect. Crucially, extra effort is taken to reinforce the short-lived nature of their successes and the long-term consequences of their crimes. As each new gangster is introduced, a title card lists their age and cause of death, almost always showing a brutal act and brief life expectancy. The tone falls closer to Silence, Scorsese’s story of migrant priests in feudal Japan, with the actions onscreen being fueled by duty rather than greed.

As usual, the period details are perfect.

This change is most evident in De Niro’s performance. He may be the lead character but, unlike Henry Hill or Jordan Belfort, he is not the driving force of the plot. Early on he explains that after serving in the military, he learned to take orders and follow direction without much thought for their consequences or morality. He never seems enticed by crime as much as he is a dutiful cog in the gears of a criminal organization which allows for the supporting cast, Pesci and Pacino, to provide most of the dramatic moments.

The film offers Al Pacino many chances to deliver the kind of performance he has become notorious for. His Hoffa is an overconfident asshole that is always in the middle of a condescending rant against someone and Pacino appears to be relishing the opportunity to deliver numerous verbal beatdowns. His energy provides a welcome contrast to Sheeran’s reserved nature and effectively steals the majority of the film. The Irishman is less about Sheeran’s individual life and more him caught in the pull of Hoffa’s ambitions and the complications that arise due to their connection to mafia. With this unique, more austere tone, Scorsese has created a crime epic with a charismatic cast and a moral compass that grounds the violence onscreen in somber consequences.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019): Warm Nostalgia

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Quentin Tarantino loves movies and with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood he has created a love letter to one of his favorite periods of the entertainment industry.  Rick (Leonardo DiCaprio; The Departed) is a former star of a TV western show, now only making small appearances as the villain in other programs. He, with the help of his longtime stuntman and personal assistant Cliff (Brad Pitt; The Tree of Life), make their way around town as they try to restart their careers. Parallel to this is Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie; The Wolf of Wall Street) who is a rising star enjoying her life.

There are few films with as deep a cast as this. It’s filled with cameos from Al Pacino, Bruce Dern, and many other legendary actors, but it’s DiCaprio and Pitt that steal the show. As leading men, they are as charismatic as ever, but, despite their still unfairly good looks, they show their age. Both actors have prominent wrinkles and bodies that appear weathered by time. Rick and Cliff are actors past their prime and DiCaprio and Pitt beautifully convey their reluctant aging and their diminishing role in the changing world of show business.

Rick and Cliff have a gentle, supportive friendship.

Unlike Tarantino’s previous work, there really isn’t a plot and that’s not a criticism. The film follows DiCaprio and Pitt as they go about their daily lives. Rick meets with agents and acts on set while Cliff runs errands. A significant amount of the screen time is them driving around while Tarantino gives us a tour of his vision of LA in the late 60s. It’s not period perfect, but it is accurate to his memory. Even without any connection to the location or time, the setting still evokes nostalgia for an era long gone. Sharon’s portions of the film are similarly domestic. We see her go to a screening of a movie she stars in and spend time with her friends in a completely normal, unglamorous way. This is the most humanizing Tarantino has every been and it’s a welcome change that shows the director’s maturation. Rick and Cliff are fading stars whose mistakes are endearing as they become lovable goofs while Sharon’s good-natured, unpretentious spirit is incredibly likable. Tarantino’s characters are still unique to his trademark style, but he has the confidence to let the audience spend time with them for no other reason than his own affection towards them.

The one flash of Tarantino’s genre fetishes comes at the finale. The ending is a sudden leap from what had been fairly tame, but it provides a jolt of adrenaline to the warm comfort developed by most of the film. What happens onscreen may be considered excessive, but it is also gratifying and cathartic. It plays with audience expectations and closes the film with a reminder of Tarantino’s full range of talent as it balances the brutal, farcical, and hilarious. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood may not have grand genre-defining ambitions like Pulp Fiction, but its rich characters and world are a joy to spend an afternoon with.

4/5 stars.

2018, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Mary Queen of Scots (2018): For Queen and Country

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After the death of her husband, Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan; Lady Bird), the rightful leader of Scotland, returns home to take her place as queen. Scotland is ruled by the English Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie; The Wolf of Wall Street) and many of the nation’s people want their own independence. Mary, who also has a claim to the English throne, seeks to consolidate power in her homeland while growing her influence across England. It’s a somewhat esoteric story, but no prior knowledge of or personal connection to the historical events is needed to enjoy the film and it may actually be more enjoyable without it.

This is not the stuffy period drama it seems like. The accents are heavy and there is plenty of formality to go around, but the plot is surprisingly involving. Rather than snooty posturing, the film plays out like a great episode of Game of Thrones with all the associated alliances, betrayals, and love lost or gained or used for advancement. Mary, despite her royal status, is surrounded by advisers that seek to undermine or overthrow her. She brings the baggage of having lived in France for many years and being Catholic in a largely Protestant nation. Even her immediate family cannot be trusted, yet she is able to persist. Her ingenuity and resilience in the face of constant opposition is formidable, but not absolute. Ronan balances Mary’s strength with emotions beyond political ambition in scenes where she makes earnest pleas for help to those around her. Elizabeth, the older of the two, bears a different burden. She is an aging queen that has not taken a husband or produced an heir which leads many to doubt her stability. She has to manage Mary’s potential disobedience while planning the succession of the throne. Robbie plays Elizabeth as the weaker opponent of the two. She is less confident and seems to be suffering from some sort of depression surrounding her health and lack of child. Yet, she still shows her own strengths. When needed, Robbie displays Elizabeth’s foresight as she makes decisions based on how they will impact the future of the combined England and Scotland, even if they cause short term difficulties or are not in the interest of her personal political career and lineage.

Mary’s determination and intellect make her an impressive threat.

The underlying reason for the opposition Mary and Elizabeth face is their gender. They are rulers, yes, but also women in a political world otherwise controlled entirely by men who deem them unfit and impulsive at every turn. The male advisers lament that they are being bound by “the whims of women” as they attempt to control their monarchs. In the midst of their rivalry, this shared experience unites the two queens. Regardless of their opposing goals, they are the only ones that can relate to each other’s plight and as a result Mary and Elizabeth refer to each other as “sister” in their correspondence and have mutual respect for the political moves being made. The strange bond that forms is touching and adds a sense of common anguish that heightens the already fascinating maneuvering and makes Mary Queen of Scots an involving political drama.

4/5 stars.

2016, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

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Manchester by the Sea is a tale of terse men trying to cope with emotion. Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), a Boston native, plays Lee Chandler, a man whose older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler; The Wolf of Wall Street) suddenly passes away from a heart condition, leaving him as the guardian of his teenage son Patrick (Lucas Hedges; Moonrise Kingdom). Lee is close to his nephew, but because of a past tragedy of his own feels unable to move to back to Manchester.

Despite its somber premise, there is a surprising amount of humor. Lee, Joe, and Patrick are full of foul-mouthed wisecracks about even morbid topics. The Boston accent is also used buoy the writing with words like “shahks” (sharks) providing chuckles on their own. The humor serves as relief from the tragedy the characters face. It pops up most when they get into arguments about funeral arrangements and Patrick’s living situation. Rather than rely solely on loud conflicts or tearful breakdowns, director and writer Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me) uses jokes to point out which topics are the most sensitive. They don’t know how to deal with the emotions overtly, so they use quips to address the issues indirectly. The humor provides endearing levity in the midst of their grief.

The awkward, but needed, embraces show their true affection for each other.
The awkward, but needed, embraces show their true affection for each other.

Lonergan directs his actors to understated performances. Stoicism is the main trait of the characters here, especially the men. Lee in particular never appears remotely eloquent. He isn’t comfortable with expressing himself so he chooses not to. Instead he spouts a few reluctant words at a time. Affleck continues the labored drawl he has used in films like Ain’t Them Bodies Saints. Even as his ex-wife tearfully opens up to him about their difficult past, he isn’t able to respond. He doesn’t hold eye contact and quickly leaves the scene. He epitomizes the core of the film: how men unaccustomed to emotion cope when overwhelmed by it.

The sense of family is palpable. The film is intercut with scenes from Patrick’s childhood with his dad and Lee and memories of Lee’s happy marriage to show how strong their bonds are. Even as things fall apart in the present, the love between them, while unspoken, is clear. This makes their predicament more complicated. In his will, Joe arranged, without Lee’s knowledge, for Lee to become his son’s guardian and move in to take care of him. Lee loves Patrick and wants to be there for him, but cannot cope with the remnants of his past that he is reminded of in Manchester. To make matters worse, Patrick isn’t open to moving in with Lee because his friends and school are already set in place. Together they struggle to find the best solution for both of them. Even as their desires are in direct conflict, their love for each other always shows through the arguments.

Manchester by the Sea slowly cements itself as a film about the small details of shared tragedy. Eschewing common melodramatic tropes, Lonergan provides a brief glimpse into the lives of regular people attempting, and often failing, to cope. The cold New England setting provides the perfect tonal backdrop to the film. The landscape is cold, plain, and unglamorous and the director portrays the characters in the same way. These are matter-of-fact people dealing with ineffable misfortune and the film embeds itself within the minutiae of their sorrow.

4/5 stars.

2013, Top Lists

Top 10 Films of 2013

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[BS Note: This list was originally written in early 2014]

With the Golden Globes behind us and the Oscars coming up this weekend, it is a great time to celebrate some of the year’s best films. 2013 was a great year for film-making it was difficult to bring this list down to ten entries, but these are the films that resonated.

10. In a World…

Lake Bell (No Strings Attached) makes her feature writing and directing debut with In a World…, a comedy about a vocal coach, Carol (Bell), failing to find a place in the male dominated voice-over industry. Bell smartly mixes humor with the realities of attempting to break the glass ceiling, elevating the film from lighthearted comedy to sharp societal commentary.

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9. Gravity

Gravity, like other films on this list, is about survival. Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side) plays a medical engineer on her first trip to space when a catastrophe occurs. Enough cannot be said about the way this film looks. The computer generated visual effects are stunning and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s (The Tree of Life) long takes with precise direction from Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men) make the Gravity a gripping thrill ride in space.

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8. 12 Years a Slave

It would be easy to look at the story of 12 Years a Slave and think that it is Oscar bait. A film based on a true story about a free man kidnapped from the North and sold into slavery in the South? The Academy should love that. But the movie is directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame) and he has no interest in the sentimental. The films depicts the horrific realities of life as a slave. What is most frightening is how common these acts were. Each brutality is accepted as a part of the natural order. The film’s traumatic imagery ensures that this period of US history and the film itself will not be forgotten.

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7. Her

Set in a slightly futuristic Los Angeles, Her follows Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) playing Theodore Twombly, a man who writes heartfelt letters on behalf of strangers unable to do so. He is separated and lonely until he falls in love with an artificial intelligence named Samantha played by Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers). Director Spike Jonze (Adaptation) uses Samantha’s lack of a body to emphasize the emotional connection craved by Theodore. He lives in a crowded city but feels isolated from the people around him. The film shows each phase of their relationship and how Theodore changes as it progresses. Her succeeds by making a romance with a disembodied voice feel remarkably human.

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6. The Hunt

The Hunt is probably the most aggravating film of the year. In a good way. Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) plays a kind, well-liked preschool teacher falsely accused of a terrible crime. The film follows him as he is ostracized out of every part of his small town. Because of the nature of the accusation his former friends and colleagues immediately abandon him. Innocent until proven guilty? Not for this crime. His descent continues as the film shows just how easily even the strongest relationships can shatter when someone cries wolf.

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5. The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines is really a triptych: three stories linked by one key event. The first story is about a stunt motorcyclist turned bank robber played by Ryan Gosling (Drive). The second is about the cop that tries to catch him played by Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) and the third is about the sons of the two. Directed by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), the film is at its best during small moments. The character interactions have a raw intensity that make them feel honest and real. The film shows that each action has its consequences and how each generation deals with the aftermath of the pervious.

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4. The Past

The Past is a companion piece to Asghar Farhadi’s previous Oscar-winning film A Separation. Both films are about a divorce, but The Past is about characters dealing with the ramifications of their previous actions. It is a film that presents a relatively simple situation, a long separated couple finally filing the paperwork for divorce so the woman can marry her new boyfriend, and peels back layer after layer revealing the complicated, morally ambiguous chaos underneath. Farhadi manages to do this without creating “good” or “bad” characters. Everyone acts in a realistic, understandable way but also commit tragic mistakes that make the situation even thornier and his even-handed direction causes your sympathies to shift with each new revelation.

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3. All is Lost

All is Lost is a demonstration of how great acting can carry a film. Robert Redford (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men) plays a nameless man on a solo voyage through the Indian Ocean whose boat springs a leak. His performance, under the direction of J.C. Chandor (Margin Call), expresses feeling through subtle actions. A grimace or sigh conveys the struggles of the protagonist more than most voiceovers in other films. Despite containing no dialogue and only a few spoken words, it commands attention. The continued determination and resourcefulness of an elderly, but experienced sailor in the face of possible death make the film a tense and affecting adventure.

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2. Inside Llewyn Davis

With Inside Llewyn Davis, the Coen brothers (No Country for Old Men, True Grit) have made yet another excellent film containing their signature dark humor and sardonic wit. Starring Oscar Isaac (Drive), the film has something unusual for the Coens: sincerity. The film is about a folk singer, Llewyn Davis, who wanders from gig to gig trying to find a record deal. He is mean to most of his friends and dismissive of other singers as sell-outs, but his quest for artistic purity gives the film an earnestness that elevates it above most of the Coen brothers’ works. Despite him being more or less detestable, the film creates empathy for the character because he is unwilling to compromise his beliefs even if that means he is never successful.

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1. Before Midnight

The experience of watching Before Midnight is like reconnecting with two friends you have known for decades. Friends that will squabble, joke, and ramble about anything and everything. But that’s the best part: listening to them talk. Set 9 years after Before Sunset and 18 years after Before Sunrise, the Before series continues its tradition of charmingly garrulous dialogue, yet it surpasses its—already excellent—predecessors by confronting the struggles of long term relationships. The warmth of a perfect connection from the previous films is still present but so are the cracks of reality that affect even the best relationships. This allows the film to continue to feel new and fresh while retaining the affection built up in earlier installments. The series, like love at its best, has grown stronger over time. Before Sunrise is great, Before Sunset is even better, and Before Midnight is incredible. It is, in my opinion, the best example of a sequel done right and easily the best film of the year.

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Honorable Mentions: Enough Said, Nebraska, Captain Phillips, The Wolf of Wall Street.