Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps [Import]

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 embark on path to understand KZI's collapse and to seek revenge, plus make a few dollars along the way for Gordon. Gordon and Jake make a series of "trades" to learn that Bretton James and his firm, Churchill Schwartz, were illegally betting on everything under the Sun to destroy KZI. Oliver Stone's attention to detail is STUNNING. Words won't do justice to the perfection of the each set. You have to know Wall Street to know that on a scale of 1 to 100, he gets a 99 because no one gets a 100. Gordon's real redemption is his name, reputation and a deep love for his family. Jake simply wants to do right by the death of Lou Zabel and persecute those respondsible. Wrap those emotions around a fast paced collapse of Wall Street, and you have a beautiful movie. Vetrans of investing will be amazed, but the film has a broad reach. One can't spoil the detail in the screen writer's brillance, but the lines are wit personified. To be "blamed for all disasters since Nintendo" speaks to taunt tone and wit. Best line of all is Gordon's---"When you stop telling lies about me, I'll stop telling the truth about you." Gordon finally does do right. One shouldn't spoil this film. I titled my review "Love, Life Family...." The last 20 minutes bring together all aspects of any excellent drama. On a personal note given Michael Douglas' condition, I will remember his 2 performances in Wall Stret with deep gratitude and always wish him good health. "Time is the most important thing in life." Well said Mr. Douglas

** 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 or Terence Stamp in some capacity. Eli Wallach had a bit part which also delivered comeuppance superbly to Brolin's character.

I think that Michael Douglas must have a clause in his contracts that require his to give at least one great speech in each of his films. For this film, it was when he addressed the college class. Stone truly delivered here, and laid the blame for the crisis exactly where it belongs, which is to say with the majority of us. The reference to the bartender who owned three houses was perfect.

The film's weaknesses are few, but still significant. Specifically, Laboeuf is miscast and comes across about as threatening as a box of facial tissues. Sheen brought a power and passion for both good and bad to the original. Laboeuf seems out of place and definitely out of his depth next to Gekko. I think James Franco would have been far more convincing. Langella was a great fit as Zweibel, but had a far too limited role. Brolin was superlative and can do evil better than most of his contemporaries. Susan Sarandon was great as Labouef's mother.

The other significant weakness in the film is in how neatly the family issues are tied up and concluded. Not unless your family is named Osmond, is atonement and forgiveness as easy as portrayed in the film. I definitely expected better in this regard.

Overall though, well worth the wait. Stone got the details correct.

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.