Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Starring: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, Charlie Sheen (cameo)
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After years in prison, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) gets out to find the world changed. He tries to reconnect with his daughter (Carey Mulligan) and finds a potential protege in her fiance (Shia LaBeouf).

Review:

Tim: Twenty-three years later, we get the second chapter of the Gordon Gekko story. While this movie didn't necessarily need to be made, it is still pretty fascinating to think about. What would Gordon Gekko be like in today's world of economic disaster and great uncertainty? The idea is certainly an interesting one and I suppose it's worth considering. Oliver Stone is back directing, so the important pieces were all in place. The movie is decent, but it is missing something important. The pieces might be in place, but it's missing some crucial element that holds it back from achieving its full potential.

Now, Oliver Stone is a very good director, so this movie is still fairly entertaining. We definitely get some strong scenes of character development, and it's fascinating to revisit the world of high-stakes corporate business. I really liked how Stone tied this film to the economic meltdown experienced in 2008. It gave it an additional realistic feel. While the characters are interesting, I ultimately felt like the plot was simply too predictable. Without much forethought, it's still pretty easy to see where the story is going and what the big "twists" will be. In addition, the ending of the film feels a bit too contrived and convenient. These are elements that definitely bring the quality of the film down.

It is certainly fun to see Michael Douglas back as Gordon Gekko. This was such a fantastic role, and I really enjoyed seeing him back in it. Douglas hasn't done much of special note in a while, so it felt like a reunion both with the character and him as an actor. It would have been better had this film been more successfully, but it's great seeing him here regardless. I like the addition of Shia LaBeouf. I'm still a LaBeouf fan, and I believe he has real talent as an actor. He makes for a worthwhile replacement for Charlie Sheen, and I enjoyed watching him interact with Douglas. I thought Carey Mulligan was fine, but nothing special (I rarely, if ever, have been excited by one of her performances). Josh Brolin did good supporting work, and Frank Langella was great in a too-small role. The cast as a whole was impressive.

While Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps isn't a particularly good movie, Oliver Stone does a good enough job for me to consider this a decent film. It certainly doesn't reach the heights of the original, and offers no reason to see a third film created. It was fun to see Gordon Gekko back on screen, and for that reason, I enjoyed watching this movie. Unfortunately, Stone didn't really put a great film together here.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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