Wall Street

A film that defines Oliver Stone’s filmmaking as such. After all, what else invites a more poignant critique of the capitalist system than Wall Street itself? The simple tale of an insignificant bloke in a crowded office who gets money, and then a personal epiphany, serves as a springboard for Stone to the greater goal of Gordon Gekko. A demon that symbolizes the perversity of the world's financial system and all that inherently goes with it. The arrogance and recklessness materialized in Michael Douglas in such a way that it's no wonder he took home the most valuable acting award for the role. One could argue for hours over how tendentious this film is, but it will forever remain without debate that it is one of Stone’s best films. 4 ½. PS: Daryl Hannah looks like a barely made-up transvestite from the line of S.J. Parker, etc. (02.04.2010)

I can't help but feel that Stone's functioning morality had a much greater impact at the time of its creation and that it has aged too much over the past twenty years. However, its atmosphere cannot be denied, as the director actively draws the viewer into the sweaty and nervous world of brokers, even though he doesn't bother explaining or even hinting at its rules. The main weakness is the script, which even a slightly attentive viewer can easily see through from the beginning, and the development of characters and plot doesn't require much effort. On the other hand, the main acting duo is a strong point. It's not surprising that Douglas delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, but Charlie Sheen's determined character, setting a devilish pace, is truly breathtaking. You can find life truths in this film, but it's up to each viewer to judge whether they want them served so clearly. (28.01.2007)

I returned to one of Stone's famous titles, Wall Street, a decade later, and I must say that, unlike many works of that time, this film has not aged. It is still a very solid view of the functioning of the harsh world of business and the era of consumer gluttony of the 80s, which gave birth to the yuppie generation. The performances are convincing, although I must admit that Michael Douglas steals the show, while Charlie Sheen has, in my opinion, only one crucial role to his credit, that being the main role in Platoon. Oliver Stone embodied his lifelong leftist conviction in the film, so especially in the second half, several dialogues slip into a political proclamation in terms of accusing capitalism, but that is just a minor flaw in an otherwise well-directed and well-written film. Unlike Michael Moore, Stone does not slide into any cheap propaganda, and everything he narrates has an absolutely realistic image in real economic and political scandals, which are ultimately described in a series of other films. By coincidence, a few years ago, the FBI focused on leading stock market players, and wiretapping respected investors and businessmen revealed exactly the same practices that Stone accurately described decades ago, such as the abuse of exclusive information, pension fund looting due to hostile takeovers, etc. Overall impression: 80%. (06.10.2011)

Michael Douglas. He makes this special. Otherwise it’s just a classic story about how the apprentice made it to the top and challenges his master to a duel. But this time the setting is speculation on the stock market. Charlie Sheen is also great here. "Greed ... has marked the upward surge of mankind…" (29.01.2010)

Oliver Stone's directing is superbly dynamic and evocative, as usual, but for a viewer not particularly interested in economics, this film can often be very confusing. Stone doesn't hold the viewer's hand, he doesn’t give any explanations or guiding hints. But all of this doesn't change the fact that Michael Douglas plays his role brilliantly, and Charlie Sheen is consistently good. Sunlit shots of the New York skyline – a feast for the eyes – and the attractive world of the rich will captivate practically anyone. Stone chooses interesting stories and works with them in an even more interesting way. Wall Street is not his best film, but as usual, it is at a very solid level. (08.04.2006)

Mit dem Börsengeschehen, dem Aktienhandel und dem Aktienkurs kenne ich mich ungefähr wie eine Gämse mit dem Steuern einer Dampflok aus. Deshalb habe ich wahrscheinlich Wall Street nicht richtig genießen können. Bei vielen Szenen hatte ich nämlich überhaupt keine Ahnung, worum es geht. Zum Glück war die Grundgeschichte verständlich. Die Schauspieler*innen waren perfekt und Oliver Stone ist es gelungen, eine ganze Reihe von unvergesslichen Szenen zu schaffen (mir persönlich hat am besten die Verhaftung gefallen). Wall Street gehört nicht zu seinen besten Filmen, er ist aber auf jeden Fall sehr gut. (03.02.2014)

The message is somewhat shallow and unsurprising, but the execution is flawless. After all, this is a story about the conflict of brilliantly defined characters, career interests and life values with the striking charm of the bourgeoisie that doesn’t care at all about the layered side plots, but its portrayal is so alive that it’s more than enough for an intense viewer experience. Wall Street is the epicentre of life where Stone and Richardson move like fierce predators and whose king is the piercingly charismatic Michael Douglas – he and Sheen, deserve all the praise, unlike Daryl Hannah, whom I would love to send to a cabaret show. 80% (03.04.2020)

Good movie. A nice example of how capitalism infiltrates our nature and how it can destroy us. How we chase money without actually having a proper goal and without perceiving what is actually right and what is wrong. The actors in their roles are excellent and precise; it's a shame that Charlie didn't have more luck and more similar films. Although in his case, it wasn't just luck. (21.06.2017)