My aunt worked as an elementary school teacher in the 1960s. Uncle Bill was a bond attorney. I doubt they heard the type of language a lot in their chosen careers. I on the other hand have been exposed swear words all throughout my career - working at a grocery wholesaler, a manufacturing plants and then at a landfill. Sometimes those words were coming out of my own mouth. Yep - my grandmother would have taken a bar of soap to me. I don't have a lot of vices, but I love me some swear words. They must be well-placed though - no constant stream...
I hadn't planned to see the movie Wolf of Wall Street when I received that text from Aunt Marty. The advertisements and movie trailers I'd seen didn't appeal to me. I've never been a Leonardo DiCaprio fan - thinking of the guy as more of a teen heart throb. Then I saw an interview of Leo on the CBS Sunday Morning Show last weekend.
I was intrigued - by they man and the movie, which is based on a true story. The interview got Paul's interest too. It's a date, we said. Thursday night, post "huge blizzard that really wasn't" we headed across the street to Jordan Creek Mall to see the movie with 8 of our best friends (people we've never met). I'm sure the rain, hail, snow mix that had turned into slush didn't help attendance. Two attendees left during the movie - they told us the ticket salesperson said they could get a refund if the movie proved too profane for them. We stuck it out.
In Wolf of Wall Street, Leo plays Jordan Belfort, a likable glutinous (liquor/drugs, money, sex, toys) guy. His company is the Johnny Come Lately - new money gauche interloper in a moneyed world. I was still prepared not to like the movie - my anti-Leo bias still a bit in place. I did soften towards him now that I know more about his childhood. Unlike the royal born rat-pack kids he grew up in the rough part of Los Angeles with prostitutes on the corner of his street. He earned his placed in Hollywood the hard way.
I really liked the movie. It was very raunchy and I had to hide my eyes during some of the, um disturbing parts. Isn't it sad - now instead of doing that at horror movies - I'm so matronly that I can't stand to see embarrassing public raunchy sex and things showing people being humiliated.
I feel sad for the people who live like that. They remind me of worker ants - all frantic, but with no joy. They frantically gather the things they think they deserve in life - money (he with the most wins), women, toys and mind altering drugs and alcohol - to numb them to the fact that none of the afore mentioned is making them feel better. I feel that even those who hide it better than the Jordan Belforts of the world are gluttons. How many millions is enough for you all? Pretty soon they'll have to live in walled communities, trucking worker bees in to serve them. Oh wait - they already live like that.
Leo played the part to the hilt - he became Jordan Belfort, the hard partying addict and corrupt stockbroker. I loved the directing. I enjoyed that the main character narrated the train wreck of his life speaking directly to the audience. The movie was long, but went by quickly. It was fascinating - like a car wreck. A really cool, expensive car. All the people were injured, but they escaped. Kind of.
My revised Fave Movies list:
Nebraska is still my dark horse - though low budget, I can't any Oscars winners there
Wolf of Wall Street - while the characters were despicable, they had some likable characteristics
August in Osage County - very dark, but some laughs. Great acting by Meryl - painful to watch
Saving Mr. Banks - good acting and story but not stellar
American Hustle - good acting, but didn't like the characters. They were not nice people.
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