Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) was driven by money.
It is difficult to understand or have any sympathy for Jordan Belfort.
Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) was a greedy, indulgent and narcissistic man who was driven by money and the pursuit of his own happiness.
He had a humble start to his life but once introduced to what money could bring him, he was addicted.
And it wasn't the last thing he became addicted to.
He relentlessly pursued anything that could give him a rush -- from drugs to sex crime to illegal financial activity.
Alongside him every step of the way was his faithful sidekick Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill).
Similarly lured by the prospect of making a fortune, Donnie operated under the same moral compass as Jordan.
Jordan learned the ropes of the stockbroking world in the months before the 1987 stockmarket crash. He knew the tricks and was a born salesman.
Realising there was still money to be made, even in a depressed financial economy, he joined and soon took charge of a Long Island penny stockbroking firm.
While making a good living, he decided to go upmarket and create his own Wall St firm and make the big money.
And so began his decline into the worst excesses, leaving a trail of women, drugs and financial victims behind him.
It was only a matter of time until the law caught up with him and made him pay for his mistakes.
The R18 label is well applied here as not too much is left to the imagination.
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