Love, Life, Family and the Wall Street Collapse of 2008
I've worked on Wall Street my whole life. The first film was cut throat Ivan Boseky insider trading and raw greed at its finest. Michael Douglas was simply riveting. I had been waiting for the sequel ever since announced. Going opening day, I was stunned after watching it the first time. Yes, Oliver Stone nails the Collapse of Wall Street in 2008 with the mortgage meltdown. Every character can be parlayed into a real life individual involved in the Bear Stearns and Lehman collapse. But the real story is about second chances in life, fighting for family, doing the right thing, commitment to work and the price paid for loyalty. Shia Labeouf (Jake Moore) is at his best when he sets out on a course of vindictive revenge after James Brolin (Bretton James) causes the "perceived" collapse of Keller Zabel(KZI) and the suicide of his mentor and KZI's leader Lou Zabel.
Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko) and Shia Labeouf team up given that Jake is engaged to Gordon's daughter Winnie. They...
Douglas Still Delivers!
** SPOILER ALERT ** Do not read if you do not want to know details **
I saw the original in the theatre in 1987 and was hoping for a sequel since then. This film was originally to be released in April 2010, but was pushed back to September 2010 as it was included in the Cannes Film Festival, and the studio probably did not want the film to get lost among the summer flotsam.
That said, this film was worth the wait. If you are an aficionado of the original, you will appreciate the homage that this film pays to it. The soundtrack features David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame, featured in the original soundtrack), Gekko bumps into Bud Fox at a party, and LaBoeuf has the same real estate broker as Fox and Darian used...the lady with the annoying voice. Upon his release from prison, Gekko is also handed his brick-sized cellphone, which gives the viewer a glimpse of just how much things have changed since the original. Would have also been nice to bring back Sean Young...
Ollie got the details right
This might not be the five star entertainment that the original was, but it's still damned good. Contrary to popular belief Gordon Gekko is there, he's just in the details. "Bulls make money, bears make money. They pigs? They get slaughtered." This is rock solid entertainment with wisdom to spare. And, it warrants MULTIPLE viewings.
And to top it off, as a former Wall Streeter who spent endless hours on the trading floor of one of the biggest brokerage firms, I can tell you that they got the details right.
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