Edward R. Pressman Film
Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Eli Wallach, Susan Sarandon, Frank Langella, Austin Pendleton, John Bedford Lloyd
Gordon Gekko (Michael Landon) from the first Wall Street was sent to prison for insider training. His Daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan) has cut him off after the suicide death of her only brother which she blames on her dad. Her fiance, Jake (Shia LeBeouf), tries to mend the relationship with her father, unbeknownst to her, while secretly setting up his own deal. His mentor, Lou (Frank Langella) has killed himself after his company failed due to the actions of new Wall Street star Bretton James (Josh Brolin). Jake tries to get Winnie and Gordon back together while trying to seek revenge for Lou’s death by bringing down Bretton James, but some people never change, and there is no one who isn’t out for himself. Set in the backdrop of the recent recession and bank bailouts, this is a good look at Wall Street and how it all came to pass.
This was a good film. It goes into details of the recent bank problems and how it all works. But it’s also a suspenseful thriller and handled very well. The acting is superb, and the story is very interesting. A good sequel to the first one, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s a very deserving sequel to the first film, and if you enjoy big business and are curious of how the big Wall Street tycoons operate, this is Banking 101.
Shia LeBeouf isn’t a great actor, but he’s passable in this role. He’s probably the weakest link in the movie. Eli Wallach has a small role, but as usual, he’s memorable. Winnie is certainly unlikable in this role, but that’s not her fault. It’s the role she’s asked to play. A lot of people took it out on her personally though, which I think is unfair. If you’re asked play a tight a**ed cold and heartless b**tch, what can you do. Of course Gordon Gekko is the star here, and Michael Douglas does it well. Many people hated this sequel, and I guess if you paid full price in the theater to see it, it might be a little disappointing, but on DVD, it was an interesting watch for me. I thought it was entertaining and informative.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
