Culture -- 18 days ago
Words: Violet
There is something about Leonardo DiCaprio that leaves men and women alike enthralled. Perhaps it’s his innovation from rosy-cheeked artist in Titanic to the suave and fallacious Frank Abagnale Jr in Catch Me If You Can and the elusive Cobb in Inception, winning hearts and gathering an impressive body of work along the way. Somehow DiCaprio always manages to deliver a role that lives up to this expectation, often transforming the screen with his boyish good looks and enticing energy, and always entertaining. Mix this flaming reputation with a film about a corrupt stockbroker in New York, millions of forbidden dollars, and the illegal high-life, and you’ve got yourself the most highly-anticipated film of the year. And on top of it all, The Wolf of Wall Street is directed by none other than Martin Scorsese, the director of directors. This is not the first of Scorsese’s films that have ventured down the path of the fraudulent and the ferocious, with works such as Gangs of New York and Goodfellas documenting the underworld of wealth in America.
Neither is this the first time Scorsese and DiCaprio have crossed paths, teaming up in Shutter Island (2010), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). The success of these films suggest an ideal matrimony of DiCaprio’s acting prowess with Scorsese’s directorial skills, and fans of the film will no doubt relish the chance to see the two unite once more.
Anyone who has witnessed the thrills of the film trailer will know that this is not a production of subtlety. This is a big-budget, big-noise film, blowing the horn of the New York banking scene and relaying the rise and fall of one of the world’s most prolific fraudsters. The addition of Jonah Hill, the comedy actor whose film portfolio is building in successes as each year goes by, says much about the angle Scorsese has chosen to take, and if expectations are met, the melding of the two leading men will be something to behold.
And of course, we all hold a sadistic fascination with money and, even better than that, dirty money. Along with the entertaining central storyline of lies and reprisal, Scorsese’s latest venture will no doubt fill the screen with sharp suits, expensive haircuts and fast cars. All served up with a large helping of beautiful women and flying banknotes, this film is set to lure us in to the lavish world of illegal fortune. And, with any luck, we won’t want to leave.
UK release date: 17th January 2014
By Meg Abbott
