The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 American biographical black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Terence Winter, based on Jordan Belfort's 2007 memoir of the same name. It recounts Belfort's career as a stockbroker in New York City and how his firm, Stratton Oakmont, engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street, leading to his downfall. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Belfort in his fifth collaboration with Scorsese following Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006) and Shutter Island (2010).
In 1987, Belfort lands a job as a Wall Street stockbroker for L.F. Rothschild, employed under Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey). He is quickly enticed by the drug-fueled stockbroker culture and Hanna's belief that a broker's only goal is to make money for himself. Jordan loses his job following Black Monday, the largest one-day stock market drop in history after the 1929 stock market crash, and takes a job at a boiler room brokerage firm on Long Island that specializes in penny stocks. He makes a small fortune thanks to his aggressive pitching style and the high commissions.
Belfort eventually founds his own firm, Stratton Oakmont, with his friend Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill). The firm quickly becomes successful, and Belfort and his employees engage in a variety of illegal activities to make money, including pump-and-dump schemes, insider trading, and money laundering. Belfort also becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol, and his personal life spirals out of control.
In the early 1990s, the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) begin investigating Stratton Oakmont. Belfort is eventually arrested and charged with securities fraud and money laundering. He pleads guilty and is sentenced to four years in prison. After his release from prison, Belfort becomes a motivational speaker and author.
The film has been praised for its performances, directing, screenplay, and editing. However, it has also been criticized for its excessive use of profanity and drug use, as well as its glorification of Belfort's lifestyle.
Cast
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort
- Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff
- Margot Robbie as Naomi Lapaglia
- Matthew McConaughey as Mark Hanna
- Kyle Chandler as FBI Agent Patrick Denham
- Rob Reiner as Max Belfort
- Jon Bernthal as Brad
- on Favreau as Manny Riskin
- Jean Dujardin as Jean Jacques Saurel
- Joanna Lumley as Aunt Emma
- Cristin Milioti as Teresa Petrillo
- Christine Ebersole as Leah Belfort
- Shea Whigham as Captain Ted Beecham
- Katarina Čas as Chantalle
- P. J. Byrne as Nicky Koskoff ("Rugrat")
- Kenneth Choi as Chester Ming
- Brian Sacca as Robbie Feinberg ("Pinhead")
- Henry Zebrowski as Alden Kupferberg ("Sea Otter")
- Ethan Suplee as Toby Welch
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Terence Winter & Jordan Belfort
Box Office Gross; $406,878,233
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2013