Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps has some good ideas, but it is not as sharp as the original. The best thing about the movie is seeing Michael Douglas return as Gordon Gekko. He is older, more reflective, and less openly dominant than before, but he still has the same intelligence and survival instinct. The movie is most interesting whenever it questions whether Gekko has truly changed or is simply adapting to a new world.
The post-financial-crisis setting gives the sequel a natural reason to exist. Moving the story into the world of collapsing firms, bailouts, toxic ambition, panic, and market anxiety gives the movie a larger backdrop than a simple comeback or revenge story. It is smart to place Gekko in a financial world that has, in some ways, caught up to his worldview.
Shia LaBeouf gives Jake a restless, ambitious energy that fits the story. He is not Bud Fox, but he works as a younger finance guy trying to succeed while convincing himself he still has a moral center. Carey Mulligan gives Winnie hurt and skepticism, and her anger toward Gekko makes sense given the damage he caused. Their relationship gives the movie emotional stakes, even if it is not as compelling as Gekko, the crisis, or the market power games.
The sequel’s issue is focus. The first Wall Street had a cleaner moral conflict and a stronger central seduction story. Money Never Sleeps has interesting pieces, but they do not come together with the same force. The ending also softens Gekko too much. The movie is strongest when he remains morally slippery, so the sentimental turn undercuts some of what makes him fascinating.
The post-financial-crisis setting gives the sequel a natural reason to exist. Moving the story into the world of collapsing firms, bailouts, toxic ambition, panic, and market anxiety gives the movie a larger backdrop than a simple comeback or revenge story. It is smart to place Gekko in a financial world that has, in some ways, caught up to his worldview.
Shia LaBeouf gives Jake a restless, ambitious energy that fits the story. He is not Bud Fox, but he works as a younger finance guy trying to succeed while convincing himself he still has a moral center. Carey Mulligan gives Winnie hurt and skepticism, and her anger toward Gekko makes sense given the damage he caused. Their relationship gives the movie emotional stakes, even if it is not as compelling as Gekko, the crisis, or the market power games.
The sequel’s issue is focus. The first Wall Street had a cleaner moral conflict and a stronger central seduction story. Money Never Sleeps has interesting pieces, but they do not come together with the same force. The ending also softens Gekko too much. The movie is strongest when he remains morally slippery, so the sentimental turn undercuts some of what makes him fascinating.
Mini Review: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps has some good ideas, but it is not as sharp as the original. The best thing about the movie is seeing Michael Douglas return as Gordon Gekko. He is older, more reflective, and less openly dominant than before, but he still has the same intelligence and survival instinct. The movie is most interesting whenever it questions whether Gekko has truly changed or is simply adapting to a new world. The...