MOVIE REVIEW: Wall Street (1987)

Oliver Stone is an immensely gifted filmmaker with a knack for culturally accurate storytelling and attention to detail that walks a fine line between esoteric and understandable. In the 80s, he was all over the place with politcally-charged films, Wall Street, while a thematic departure from his previous violent war-drama Platoon, offers an authentic insight into the glamorized excesses of yuppie 1980s culture and business warfare during the insider trading scandals that occured prior to the 1987 stock market crash.

Starting in 1985, Bud Fox is an enterprising stockbroker who miraculously manages to nab heavy-hitting corporate player Gordon Gekko. As he is drawn further into Gekko's world of style and shrewdness, Fox begins to realize the undercover work Gekko has him do in order to finalize buyouts may have illegal repercussions. His father, serving as the blue-collar voice of reason and honesty, and his trophy interior-decorator girlfriend also get caught within his newfound "greed-is-good" mentality. Fox finds himself at a crossroads whether to take the honest way out, or continue his jet-set lifestyle.

I first saw Wall Street when I was 11, and I hated it. Although it is rated 'R', I found it boring and self-indulgent. I guess my parents thought I'd be mature enough to understand the drama. Ten years later, a lot of the business lingo still flies over my head, but my tastes have evolved enough to appreciate the story, and the timelessness of the "greed-is-good" theme, in this day and age. Wall Street almost reminded me of a modern-day Great Gatsby; one of my favorite novels, not only because of how similar themes revolve around it, but because of the similar spiritual denoument the main characters ultimately face. With time, Wall Street will be regarded as one of those defining films of the decade it came out in.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon