Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps Review

Looking over Oliver Stone’s recent filmography shows a man that is trying to remain topical. With “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” Stone is trying to capitalize on the 2008 financial collapse by returning to his 1987 film “Wall Street”. Like his recent film “W.”, this film is so centered on being socially relevant that it misses the chance to offer insight into the financial collapse or create some controversy. “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” does contain strong performances from the actors involved, but its convoluted plot and cheap ending makes the film less interesting than the trailer made it out to be.

The film focuses mostly on Jacob Moore, played by Shia LaBeouf, a player on Wall Street in 2007. After the financial company that Bretton James, played by Josh Brolin, tanks the stock of the company Jacob works for, Jacob tries to bring down James’ company and ends up working for James. Dropped into this is Gordon Gekko, played again by Michael Douglas, out of jail and on a tour for his new book. Jacob is marrying Gekko’s estranged daughter Winnie, played by Carey Mulligan, and Jacob is trying to get them to reconcile and for a father figure in Gekko.

The first “Wall Street” is remembered for Michael Douglas’ role as Gordon Gekko, which he won an Academy Award for, but in the sequel Oliver Stone has no idea what to do with him. The first movie’s best moment is Gekko’s famous “Greed is good” speech, but in the sequel the Gekko’s big speech is a clumsy montage of several little pieces of wisdom. Not until the third act of the film do we truly meet Gekko again like we fondly remembered him. For most of the film Gordon Gekko seems to be just looking for redemption. LeBeouf does his best acting here, and Mulligan has some good moments as well, as a couple onscreen they have good chemistry. Brolin is the villain; we know that because he looks sinister throughout the movie and isn’t given much to do otherwise. 

Stone’s direction sometimes feels gimmicky, with the use of silly editing tricks with little need for them. The use of the financial collapse doesn’t feel like he is trying to feed off of it, but it feels like a missed chance to do something meaningful. With this film Oliver Stone has put himself in the spotlight of current events, but he has nothing that needs to be said. If anyone deserves an award for this, it is for whoever made the trailer because it made this film look interesting.