One of Martin Scorsese‘s most controversial – but undeniably hilarious – movies is now on Netflix. 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a corrupt and fraudulent stockbroker in the 80s and 90s. The film has been accused of glamorizing Belfort and turning him into an aspirational hero for a certain section of the audience. While Scorsese is not exactly known for comedy movies, many of his crime and gangster flicks are full of humor – not least 1990’s Goodfellas.
The Wolf of Wall Street is a three hour long coke-fueled extravaganza that sees Belfort and his cronies, including Jonah Hill’s Donnie Azoff and Jon Bernthal’s Brad Bodnick indulging in every possible excess at the expense of those they are exploiting. Some of the most famous – and funniest scenes – involve Belfort losing the use of his legs while on quaaludes and then attempting to drive.
Another is the one where Belfort is delivering a leaving speech and then changes his mind and decides to stay, despite the law bearing down on him. Yet another iconic scene involves Matthew McConaughey telling him; “you gotta pump those numbers up, those are rookie numbers.”
The Wolf of Wall Street featured Margot Robbie‘s star-making role as Belfort’s second wife Naomi. Robbie would return for a cameo role in the similarly-themed The Big Short, in which she explains complicated financial information while sipping champagne in a bubble bath.
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are currently gearing up for the release of their new movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, which will be in theaters on October 20. It’s another drama movie based on a true story, this time of the murders of members of the Osage nation in Oklahoma during the 1920s over oil. The movie co-stars Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons.
Check out our guides to some other upcoming movies, including The Marvels and Deadpool 3. Find out what other new movies are still to come in 2023 and what’s new on Netflix.