Honest Trailers Season 1 Episode 53 Honest Trailers - The Wolf of Wall Street
- April 15, 2014
In this episode of Honest Trailers, the team takes on Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. The trailer begins by pointing out that the movie is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who made millions through illegal means before getting caught and serving time in prison. However, the trailer also notes that the movie is a fictionalized account that glorifies Belfort's excesses rather than condemning them.
The trailer then turns its attention to the film's protagonist, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. While DiCaprio's performance is praised as "amazing" and "Oscar-worthy," the trailer notes that he is essentially playing a "terrible person." The trailer also comments on the film's over-the-top depictions of sex, drugs, and partying, questioning whether the movie is really celebrating these things or criticizing them.
Next, the trailer takes aim at the film's other characters, including Belfort's right-hand man Donnie, played by Jonah Hill. The trailer notes that Donnie is essentially a caricature of a "douchebag" who is obsessed with money and drugs. The trailer also comments on the film's treatment of women, noting that they are often reduced to objects for Belfort and his colleagues to ogle and use for their own pleasure.
The trailer then turns to the film's plot, which it describes as a series of escalating events that eventually lead to Belfort's downfall. The trailer notes that the film is "intense" and "fast-paced," but also "exhausting" and "hard to watch at times." The trailer also comments on the film's use of voiceover narration, which it describes as "excessive" and "self-aggrandizing."
Finally, the trailer gives its verdict on The Wolf of Wall Street, calling it a "shocking, funny, and hard-hitting" movie that is "not for the faint of heart." However, the trailer also notes that the movie is "problematic" in its portrayal of Belfort and its treatment of women. The trailer concludes by urging viewers to watch the movie with a critical eye and to remember that "crime doesn't pay."