So it's no secret that I think Shia LaBeouf is beyond sexy. Buttt before you call me biased in how fantastic I think this movie is based on Shia's sex appeal, I also think he's incredibly talented with incredible potential as an actor. Shia is at the top of the Hollywood A-list these days, and certainly for good reason, but this movie has much more (film) street-cred than just LaBeouf as the leading man. Oliver Stone directed the film, following up his initial classic, 1987's Wall Street starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglass. For those of you who are not quite familiar with Stone's work, this is the same man who directed the 1986 Vietnam War classic, Platoon, Any Given Sunday, and writer of Scarface. That's right, he wrote Scarface.
Oliver Stone is a true visionary. This fact is no less apparent in Money Never Sleeps. For those interested in film aesthetics and cinematography, it truly is pleasing to look at. He utilizes a great amount of cinematic and technological effects in conjunction with the wall street/business/economic world. It's artistic. He makes use of the split screen technique throughout the film, which is something I have not seen in a very long time. There are numerous phone conversations throughout the film, most often with a broker and a client. Stone is showing the Wall Street world and how it intertwines with the lives of all parties involved, even outside of the office or "working" daytime hours. He is displaying greed and it's disease-like nature. Once you have succumb to it, there is no coming back from it.
Outside of film aesthetics and logistics, there is an intriguing storyline. This is another one of those films for me where I feel as though there is something in it for everyone. If you're in the mood for a chick flick or a good romance, the chemistry between Shia LaBeouf and leading lady, Carey Mulligan is phenomenal. She is a brilliant young actress. It is no surprise at all that she has made her way from indie film work like that in last years, An Education to the mainstream screen. She's a natural, and she and Shia are natural together in this movie. It is no surprise that they are now together in real life. If you're in the mood for a high speed action flick, there's some of that to! There is a racing scene between Labeouf and Josh Brolin on Ducati motorcycles. It's fast and it's sexy. It's a film for intellectuals: econ buffs, business moguls. It forces you to pay attention to the subject matter. I definitely learned a lot about the stock market world and in order to follow the movie and the progression of the plot, you have to pay attention. It forces you to pay attention in a non-forceful way. Saying that, I mean that the movie is entrancing. You want to pay attention. You are intrigued by the characters. You want them to fail. You want them to succeed. You want them to be happy. You want them to be together. You want them to make that multi-million dollar deal. In some twisted way, you want to be them!
The movie does not come without it's faults and weaknesses. The ending is less than satisfying. It was kind of cheesy, kind of corny and it just did not need to go that direction. I won't go into anymore detail because you need to see it yourself. But really, who the hell am I to critique the man who wrote Scarface? Just sayin. Either way, Wall Street 2 is definitely a must-see.
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