Film Review of Wall Street – Money Never Sleeps

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is a chilling reality check in challenging times. Director Oliver Stone and screenwriters, Allan Loeb and Stephen Shiff, sculpt human faces onto Wall Street greed and corruption that’s taking down the American economy.

Greed is trickling down into Main Street as people borrow to buy homes they can’t afford and incur debt they expect someone else to repay.

I’m paraphrasing comments in the Wall Street sequel, as expressed by Greed Guru, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). He’s promoting his new book about greed and conniving to regain respect and clout after spending 8 years in prison for his past financial crimes. Gekko’s rise to power is a subplot that impacts every character in this compelling film.

Through Gekko’s eyes, we see how foreclosures, financial meltdowns and bailouts unite Wall Street and Main Street in greed. To sever this unhealthy bond, we all need to face and find an answer to the film’s central question:

What is the ultimate cost of achieving your goals and living your dreams when you have a narcissistic lack of concern for anyone but yourself?

Most of the film characters show us how pathological self interest can take down individuals, families, companies and the whole country, if we don’t change course. Only three characters seem to have heart and soul, yet they are in danger of being destroyed by Gordon Gekko and his ruthless adversaries at top investment firms.

The characters you will root for are:

The chairman of a top brokerage house, played with weary wisdom by Frank Langella;
The young trader he mentors like a son, Jake Moore, the film’s protagonist (Shia LaBeouf);
Jake’s fiancee, who has a passion for green causes despite being Gekko’s estranged daughter, Winnie Gekko, (Carey Mulligan).

Will these three characters be outmaneuvered and destroyed by Gordon Gekko or other corporate villains?
Is it possible to touch the heart of a corporate narcissist before they take you down?
Can you buck big oil and make money funding innovative alternative energy?
Can idealism survive in a corrupt world and help us thrive again?
Will love triumph over greed?

You’ll discover Oliver Stone’s spin on these answers as the film races to its climax with mounting suspense. I suggest you race into the theater to catch this smart financial thriller and savvy love story. Savor the award-winning caliber of performances, writing and direction in this captivating sequel to Wall Street. This hot film earns 4 chili peppers from me in Santa Fe.

Love deeply and live your dreams now,

Hadley Finch