Review of Wall Street (1987) by James F — 14 Oct 2012

I'd been meaning to see Wall Street for ages now but it just seemed to be one of those films I never got round to. When I heard it was getting a sequel over 20 years later; Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, I was intrigued and finally sat down to watch it.

And, well, if you could bottle the very essence of the 80's and put it in to a movie - this would surely be it, summing up that decade of decadence and commercialism perfectly, a real snap shot of business politics at the time.

Wall Street tells the story of Buddy Fox played well by Charlie Sheen, a young stockbroker trying to make a living from cold calling prospective investors and barely keeping his head above water. He dreams of making the big bucks and looks up to the hugely successful Gordon Gecko (played to slimy perfection by Michael Douglas), a self made millionaire stockbroker. A man who has forged such a reputation for himself in the game, his name strikes fear in to any company he sniffs around as they fear him liquidating them, stripping their assets and walking away a wealthier man after their very destruction.

When Buddy finally gets to meet his Gecko, he offers up some juicy insider information to ingratiate himself and earn his hero millions more, he finds himself taken under Gecko's wing, an apprentice to the master money maker.

Before he even realises what is happening to himself, Buddy becomes so wrapped up in this world of greed and excess, he begins to believe his own hype, stepping on anyone and everyone that gets in his way. The lavish new lifestyle brings all the trappings he's been dreaming of, the swanky New York penthouse apartment, glamourous designer furnishings, private jets, exclusive restaurants and of course the free spending, trophy, eye- candy girlfriend.

But all this comes at a price, Buddy's blue collar family get left behind as he tears up the social ladder, they no longer recognise him as he betrays his beliefs, upbringing and the morals his father thought he'd instilled in his son.

To say any more would ruin the direction the film takes but its message seems even more relevant now than it did upon release in 1987. Especially after the recent greedy banking and corruption that has so damaged the world's economy.

"Greed is good" repeats Gordon Gecko to a rapturous listening audience of shareholders as he entices them with his promises of easy profits before stabbing them in the back to keep himself on the up. And its here the film succeeds so well, showing one man's ultimate mission to get richer and richer. Indeed when his apprentice Buddy Fox asks him desperately, "When is enough, enough?", he quickly learns that enough is never enough to Gecko, its an alien concept to a man who only lives to consume.

Its an intriguing and enjoyable ride watching the ultimate greedy, moral-less, pompous, self absorbed asshole steam ahead. Douglas does an excellent job with his portrayal of Gecko, much like American Psycho's Patrick Bateman minus the axe but with a knowing glint in his eye.

If the sequel can match this it will be well worth checking out......great movie.