Rent Wall Street on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Stanley Weise & Oliver Stone
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Starring: Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, Martin Sheen, Hal Holbrook, Terence Stamp
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
An impatient young stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless, greedy corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing.
Verdict
It's become a movie you have to watch, if nothing else to see the origins of the 'greed is good' quote. Every movie depicting Wall Street released since seems like it owes a debt to this film. It's a common story, the protege meets his idol and realizes idols aren't always heroes. This also touches upon the excesses of the 80s. Despite being the villain, Michael Douglas is charismatic. You understand how those around him fall for his charms. Greed may be good, but several characters also must pay the price.
Watch It.
Review
I can't watch a movie about stock brokers without thinking about this movie. See Boiler Room for one. It captures the greed and excess of the 80s. The rich always want one more dollar, and the young are willing to take shortcuts to get there.
Bud (Charlie Sheen) is a young broker trying to make his mark, wanting to pitch Wall Street legend Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). He just wants a chance, and Bud's tenaciousness finally pays off as he gets his chance. He hopes to make a good impression, but his stock tips don't interest Gekko so Bud takes a leap and provides inside information about an airline gleaned from his blue collar mechanic father Carl (Martin Sheen). The impromptu interview doesn't go well or so Bud thinks but it does open the door.
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| Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen play Gordon Gekko, Bud Fox |
Bud has one foot in the door but can he stay? Gekko provides a glimpse of the riches the future may hold. If Bud can make Gekko happy he cements his future, but Gekko plays to win and he's pushing Bud past his comfort zone for an advantage. Bud complains, warns him it would be breaking the law. Gekko doesn't back down, using the airline information as leverage. Gekko knows Bud is hungry and driven. He suspects Bud will do whatever he wants just to maintain a relationship with Gekko.
Bud does well though he's not exactly playing by the rules. He gets a new condo, girlfriend, and promotion. The problem is that Bud is breaking the law to make himself rich and Gekko richer. Bud is the new protege, following him to meetings. Gekko delivers his famous "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." speech at a company shareholder meeting, selling them on why he can manage the company better.
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| Michael Douglas plays Gordon Gekko |
Bud wants Gekko to buy his father's airline and make it profitable. Bud and Gekko pitch the union leaders and Bud's father is the only holdout. Carl realizes that Gekko is greedy and can't be trusted. Bud may be presenting the plan, but Gekko is holding the cards. Bud is dazzled by Gekko's aura. Why else would he think Gekko would let an inexperienced broker run an airline. He realizes too late that Gekko deceived him, and that his dad was right. Bud wants to get back at Gekko and save his father's airline. There's only one way to do that - money. Bud manipulates a competitor and the market.
Bud had a moral line that Gekko didn't, that or Gekko's like kept getting moved during his career before it disappeared. Gekko had it all, but greed pushed him to get more. Either way, it's Bud that paid the price. To become Gekko, maybe you have to abandon morals. It's difficult to reach the top when you're playing by the rules. While Gekko pushed Bud to commit crimes, Bud wasn't ignorant. Bud will go to jail but at least he stopped before he went over the edge.
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