Film: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Cast includes: Michael Douglas (Fatal Attraction), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers), Josh Brolin (Milk), Carey Mulligan (An Education), Eli Wallach (The Godfather III), Susan Sarandon (Stepmom), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
Director: Oliver Stone (JFK, W.)
Genre: Drama/Financial Crime (2010)
In brief:The inventory list of Gordon Gekko’s possessions gives us a good idea how he lived before going to prison. On the day of his release, he has nothing… not even a ride home. Seven years later, he’s written a book and is back in the spotlight. The mere sight of Gordon Gekko on TV sickens his daughter, Winnie. Winnie is now the founder of a website promoting social justice. Even though her boyfriend (soon to be fiancé), Jake, works in the financial sector, he’s nothing like her father. His specialty area is energy, and he’s helping get financing for green energy research… not just because it’s the right thing to do but also because he believes investors will reap financial rewards.
It’s easy to underestimate Jake. Many have. But at age 12, Jake caddied for Louis Zabel. Zabel was so impressed with Jake’s “hunger” that he took young Jake under his wing. Now Jake is a rising star at Keller Zabel. But when a nasty rumor goes viral, the company suffers a meltdown. Jakes mentor is literally destroyed by the turn of events, leaving Jake to start over. That is the moment he proposes to Winnie, and she accepts. Jake can tell Winnie is troubled by her non-relationship with her father and makes it a mission to change that. That’s how he comes to meet the infamous Gordon Gekko. Gordon is now a world-class cynic, who imparts words of wisdom to anyone who will listen. About the Keller Zabel meltdown, he tells Jake to look at who stood to profit. Jake does that, and before long he figures out that dirty tricks can go both way. But swimming with sharks is dangerous business… there’s no such thing as just dipping a toe into the water and getting out.
The real-life events of the recent financial meltdown have obviously inspired many of the plot points of this story. As the story unfolds, financial information and theories are often at the center of the narrative. If you want to enjoy this story, try not to ponder those details too much. While it feels like Oliver Stone would like to impart some greater philosophical truths, that’s the least effective aspect of the movie. If you view it as a good story about a group of interesting characters, it works… for the most part. If you love great film footage of New York City, there’s a lot here to love. Even though the story is mostly about Jake and Winnie, it’s Gordon Gekko who has most of the memorable lines. His cynicism inspires so many good quips that it’s hard to remember them all. Here’s one: “Money’s a bitch. And she never sleeps.”
3 popped kernels
Entertaining story and good performances. Try not to let the financial mumbo-jumbo trip you up.
Popcorn Profile
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream
Mood: Upbeat/fun
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: High-end production
Character Development: Not that kind of film
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Timely topic
