The Wolf of Wall Street

HANNA: How many times a week?

BELFORT: Like um, three, three or four times maybe.

HANNA:  All right, pump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers in this racket.  I myself, jerk off at least... twice a day.

I was already hooked after reading just ten pages of The Wolf of Wall Street, the first of two memoirs written by ex-stock broker and convict, Jordan Belfort.  His writing, while at times particularly crafted was far from dull.  The self absorbed narrative of lavish material wealth, extreme narcotic binges and uninhabited sexual escapades reminded me of another story I had once read, American Psycho.  Well, minus the ax murdering of course.

Reading the book before the movie is passe in my mind.  Maybe it was that, or the fact that Jordan Belfort was so articulately gifted at explaining the depths of a Quaalude overdose that I was feeling dizzy.  So I happily put the book down halfway through to head to the theaters.

Thirty minutes in and the movie had my full attention.  As Jordan Belfort discussed vaginal hair preferences with his father a couple in front of me got up and left the theater in disgust.  I was super pumped.  This movie was already completely vulgar, graphic and just down right deplorable and there was two and half hours to go!

It can be a fool's errand to hold the credibility of a movie too near to that of the book it is based upon.  If anything the movie is modest in the portrayal of the Long Island boiler room known as the brokerage firm of Stratton Oakmont.  DiCaprio does an admirable job of capturing the megalomaniac that is Jordan Belfort but in my opinion it is Jonah Hill that gives the more impressive performance as his off the wall side kick.  I guess Jonah Hill won't be remember just as that funny fat guy with a period stain on his jeans.

If you missed this one in theaters don't worry it will go down something smooth with a six pack from your recliner.  As you listen to ludicrously offensive office speeches, witness scandalous sex acts fueled by excessive drug abuse, and watch the destruction of numerous luxury vehicles just remember this: it all really happened... allegedly.