TGM Scale 8.0
Starring Michael Douglas, Shia LeBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon and more
A very well constructed sequel. Joy Lynn and TGM both enjoyed this film from beginning to end. Oliver Stone may be using the film to share his disdain for Wall Street and politicians, and TMG is cheering him on all the way.
Douglas as Gordon Gecko leaves prison after eight years for insider trading as a new man. Or is he? Shia Le Beouf as Jake Moore, has been courting Gecko’s estranged daughter played by Mulligan. All deserve Oscar nominations. Sarandon as Jake’s overbearing and desperate mother plays her best. Even her loathesome character has a final redeeming moment. The question throughout the film is whether Gecko himself has found true redemption.
Stone makes his 1987 classic Wall Street relevant yet again. Gecko’s great quote from this film “Someone reminded me I once said ‘Greed is good’. Now it seems it’s legal. Because everyone is drinking the same Kool Aid.”
True to a real Wall Street image, this film has more product placements than TMG could count: Ducati, Borders Bookstore, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lumber Liquidators, Wendy’s, Polycon, Johnny Walker, Keller Williams Real Estate, Heineken, Cracker Jacks and CNBC….just to name a few. One wonders though if it was intentional that a Wall Street power broker kills himself just after eating a full bag of Lay’s potato chips? It sort of suggested his demise was quickly inevitable. The only cheesy, if not plain silly moment, was an Airplane-esque style moment when Charlie Sheen reappears in a cameo role as Bud Fox from the original Wall Street.
TMG has a big affection for Michael Douglas no matter if he is a good or a bad guy. His wit and dark humor remain provocative and fun. “Money is like a woman that never sleeps.” We look forward to Wall Street: Even Depends Won’t Stop Me.