A smattering of Hollywood A-listers (and a new British star) feature in Steve McQueen's slave drama
How badly does Leonardo DiCaprio want that Oscar?
He’s tried it all – Shakespeare, historical drama, mental illness, dying tragically, being French (twice!) – but that shiny gold chap just keeps eluding poor unloved Leo. Could playing a snotty banker who gets his comeuppance be timely enough to finally seduce the Academy? One thing gives us pause, however – is he really supposed to be 26?
Where’s the rest of the cast?
The trailer shouts proudly about DiCaprio, Hill and McConaughey – and is especially chuffed with McConaughey playing some sort of freaky-wild banking guru – but the film has a terrific supporting cast, and they’re nowhere to be seen. Oscar-winning French moustache-twirler Jean Dujardin, loveable schlub John Favreau, even national treasure Joanna Lumley, all stricken from the record.
Oh god, is Leo going to keep addressing the camera?
What with the slicked-back hair, the smarmy smirk and the Croesus-like wealth, it’s pretty clear that Jordan Belfort is being pitched as an anti-hero for our times. And as the movie is based on his book, we fully expect to be seeing the world from his perspective. But do we really want this smug creep addressing us personally, his coked-out little piss-hole eyes boring right into our brains?
Does any woman in this universe not have fake boobs and a dye job?
Marty, we get it, these guys are shallow – they hang out on yachts, use dwarfs as darts and chuck lobsters at FBI agents (we’ve all been there). But surely they’re acquainted with at least one brunette? Perhaps in 1990s New York there was some kind of state law forcing all women to pump themselves full of silicone and go platinum. But surely we’d remember?
Why should we care?
This is the big question – why should we give a damn about these self-absorbed, money-grubbing Armani-clad cretins and spend our money and time learning about their lives? Sure, the film promises to be entertaining as a slice of gleaming wealth-porn, and it’s sure to make a few smart points about our ongoing fascination with the super-rich. But we expect a little more from Scorsese – a little heart, a little humanity. Can he make us love this big bad wolf?
Five questions about 'The Wolf of Wall Street’ trailer
Scorsese's back with a story about a twisted stockbroker. But what can we expect?
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The first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ has landed. Based on the bestselling memoir by crooked New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (who served a 22 month prison sentence), the movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Belfort, with Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey playing his equally wealthy and devious sidekicks. It sounds like a pretty straightforward riches-to-rags tale, but the trailer left us with a few nagging questions…
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