Review of Wall Street (1987) by Ben F — 13 Dec 2010

"Wall Street" is so amazing because it's style and slick movements allow the audience to be completely engulfed in the character progression and performances of the actors. Oliver Stone really did a great job here. This movie is sophisticated, intriguing, and executed extremely professionally.

Basically the whole premise is that Charlie Sheen plays Bud Fox, who's a stockbroker. He wants to be rich, like someone called Gordon Gekko, played my Michael Douglas. In a bold attempt, Fox goes to Gekko's office and asks him for a job, and that's basically how the movie starts. As the movie progresses, Fox starts to learn of Gekko's illegal tactics, and after he has informed him of his father's airliner situation, he doesn't know whats going to happen. It's an awesome sorry, with an awesome script.

The performances in this movie are very good. Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, and Michael Douglas were all amazing in this movie. It was kind of cool to see both Sheens be actually father and son, and this made it very believable, and probably helped the actors with there performances in certain areas of the film. Douglas is a complete bad-ass, and his intimidation really reaches to the audience in this movie. He's truly not someone to mess with.

"Wall Street" is so exciting because it unveils certain activities that we all know occur, but we've never seen. Stone brings us inside this lifestyle, where the common viewer can feel like he's on the top of the world. The movie does an excellent job of drawing you in, and that's why it works so much.

Oliver Stone really likes to make movies about things no one else wants to do. He really likes to be provocative and controversial. He reveals horrors and lies and scandals in so many different types of movies. He just likes to be different. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it definitely works in this movie. It's eloquent, and witty, and it's a truly great movie.

The sub-plots aren't too ridiculous and they don't overlap with the overall story, so the viewer is always attentive as to what is going on. Movies that deal with rises to power aren't always executed in a way that was affective, but it was here. The audience gasps in all the right places, and you are on the edge of your seat in certain areas.

Like I said, Oliver Stone really did this movie well. It's easily one of his best movies. Probably this film, and "Platoon" are his best work. "Wall Street" is really a great movie, because it's amazing in every aspect, and it's sophisticated and intellectual style had me enthralled until the final credit. A must view.