Former powerbroker Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) has been laying low. Well, he’s been laying in a prison and plotting a comeback. After release he gets to promoting his latest book and comes across young trader Jake Moore (Shia LeBeouf), who happens to be engaged to his daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan). While Gordon wants to redeem himself in his daughter’s eyes, Jake is looking for some insight to plot revenge against high roller Bretton James (Josh Brolin), the man who shut down his old firm.
Has it really been a year since we last crossed paths with The Beef? I’d say he’s grown, but Shia has always struck me as near 20 because I never saw his show Even Stevens. As Jake he’s mature and goal driven, but I don’t sense the authority that Charlie Sheen gave Bud Fox despite the nearly identical character. As before, the sea is parted for Gordon Gekko to grab focus. He has the best lines, he’s the draw, and Michael Douglas owns him.
The exposition may require insider trading to clear up the jargon, but there is no doubt that the editing takes too many liberties for a movie aimed at adults. This isn’t Scott Pilgrim. It isn’t necessary to throw animations at the screen during a simple explanation over machinery. What really cooks my bacon is a short scene with Jake and Minnie in a car. Jake’s phone rings and not only does the woman he’s speaking with float into view but a little instant messaging derived sound effect completes the effect. Much of the first act is scarred with these moments of narrative breaking indulgence.
In recent years the trend of sequel hunting has found ways to dust off the cobwebs and in a few cases the characters don’t behave the way we expect them to the second time around. In Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps an effort is made to humanize Gordon and though I found some of his actions out of character, the idea that people can change seems to be a big message behind the film. From my experience it seems that some folks change while others get worse, and I had Mr. Gekko pegged for the latter. Regardless, his actions have to fit your personal philosophy for you to deem them believable and I felt that too often he went outside the established persona.
On the second pass there isn’t a lot of surprise and the awe of trading stock isn’t quite what it used to be. You don’t even get to see the floor, and if Stone had focused on it I’m sure the audience would be less than amped thanks to the digital revolution reducing the paper streams and shouting. Otherwise there isn’t enough new in the way of story and liberties taken in presenting it are overbearing. The original didn’t need cheeseball editing effects to lift the audience out of slumber; pity the new generation is deemed so short in temper. **
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