Review of Wall Street (1987) by Francisco M — 02 Dec 2011

A very good film from Oliver Stone. "Wall Street" is almost similar to "Platoon" but this time it takes place in America and the war is to buy cheat, and sell stocks. I don't really know much about being a stock broker but Stone tells it clearly in this film and one young naive man again played by Charlie Sheen is Bud Fox wants to make it big like Gordon Geeko.

Sheen finally meets with Geeko and the two start to form a bond but forming a bond with someone like Gordon Geeko comes at a hefty price. The price Fox has to pay is to sell his own soul and do a great deal of insider trading. Michael Douglas as Geeko is one of his best performances, he's clearly evil, shout demands on the phone, chain smoking while checking his heartbeat but the corporate raider also has a certain gleam in his eyes that make him all the more appealing.

Fox's father is played by Martin Sheen who wants his son to do something better in life instead of working at a brokerage firm cutting corners. Father Sheen's role is important because he basically supplies the conscience for his son's mind. The other father figure in Bud Fox's life is Geeko who offers him big perks and an attractive girlfriend played by Darryl Hannah.

"Wall Street" is very good but it's not so great and Charlie Sheen doesn't necessarily look wrapped up in the game of Wall Street. Bud Fox knows that he could go to jail for insider trading and doesn't seem to fit the exploitation mole of easily being used. The pay off isn't good either but ends on a conscience note but the picture has the great fast paced speed of brokers buying and selling, the financial system is easy to follow, and a basic plot premise.