Wall Street Reviews and Ratings


  • dukeakasmudge
    October 29, 2009
    dukeakasmudge
    OK movie about greed & what greed does to you
  • samanthaseaotter
    October 28, 2009
    samanthaseaotter
    Some great moments that are classic. Probably one of Oliver Stone's best.
  • wwaising
    October 14, 2009
    wwaising
    Before [Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps] coming out, episode 1 still signifies well.
  • jasonvargo
    September 29, 2009
    jasonvargo
    The brilliance of arguably Oliver Stone's seminal film is its pace. Wall Street is an unrelenting, balls to the wall, keep up or you're lost two hour theater production. From the instant the movie begins straight through to the end, the story does not stop to explain the mechanic...( read more)s, personal relationships or stockbroker language. It dives head on into the rise and fall of Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) at the hands of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, Oscar winner for his role here), demands the audience keep up and never looks back.

    I call this a theater production because the narrative is never contingent on splashy special effects, locations or the ability to go outside. It is, from start to finish, about people. Fox transforms right before our eyes from a naive newcomer to Gekko, Jr. Notice how he answers the phone, dresses and talks to people as the movie progresses. And Douglas may never have a role like Gekko, one that lets him stop just short of all out villany in his quest to be the most wealthy, most powerful and altogether best. But it all, ultimately comes back to the story. Stone allows us to understand and follow along without stopping to give us a primer on the industry.

    Fox and Gekko engage us from the start, as does a roster of supporting characters played by Martin Sheen, Sean Young, Darryl Hannah, Hal Holbrook and John McGinley. What each of them bring to the finished production is depth, soul and reality. It's not enough just to move the main plot from A to B to C. We have to buy into Wall Street as a real world, which we do thanks to a 2+ hour running time and easily recognizable character archetypes. Not that I'm complaining: any more substance and Wall Street might collapse in on itself. This isn't an easy movie to watch and remain engaged in; even Gekko's legendary "Greed...is good" line tends to be too full of itself to be completely affecting. And it isn't until the final credits roll do we honestly know what has transpired.

    One notable detriment to the production is Hannah, completely out of her element in a sleazy, fast paced film. She exudes negative charm, if that's even possible, making us want her interior designer Darien Taylor to drop off the face of the film as quickly as she enters. Hers is a small role, something which adds to the themes of the film, yet not much more. It's a case of "hangers on," people on board for the ride until they fear for themselves. Either she was given very bad direction from Stone (unlikely, based on the other actors), there is no character for her (more likely, considering she is one of three women with any appreciable lines) or she's just a bad actress (the best explanation).
  • SirPant
    September 25, 2009
    SirPant
    A classic piece on 80?s yuppy bankers who feed off greed. I?m looking forward to the sequel, although with today?s current financial climate, I?m puzzled as to how they?re going to go about it?
  • barbarawalker656
    September 23, 2009
    barbarawalker656
    Amazing movie... gordon gecko rules new york... lol
  • hawkledge
    September 15, 2009
    hawkledge
    Brilliant critique of the skewed priorities and underhand dealings that is the pressure cooker environment of the financial world. Michael Douglas' larger-than-life Gordon Gekko enters the zeitgeist as a symbol of sheer amoral greed even to those who haven't seen the film. The re...( read more)st of the cast effectively personalize a world full of false loyalty, nervous trust, and merciless usury. Classic morality play.
  • bobby114
    September 14, 2009
    bobby114
    Michael Douglas knows how to deliver a monologue.
  • afbuelvasp
    September 3, 2009
    afbuelvasp
    Gekko decia que "la codicia es buena", y que "los negocios son negocios"... parece que muchos empresarios tomaron sus "consejos", y vea como tienen la economía mundial. Muy buena.
  • incredibrad
    August 16, 2009
    incredibrad
    "Greed... is good." The best parts of this movie are the scenes with Michael Douglas(the root of all evil) in his deserved Oscar winning performance as Gordon Gecko. I would love to see Gordon out on a date with Diana(Faye Dunaway) from the film Network. Talk about a match made ...( read more)in hell. Stone met with Tom Cruise about playing Bud Fox, but the director had already committed to Charlie Sheen for the role. Sheen gave us a fine puppy dog face but I think the Scientoligist could have taken this film to a higher level. Stone gave Charlie Sheen the choice of Jack Lemmon or Martin Sheen to play his father in the film and the young actor picked his dad. I love Martin Sheen in this, I really do, but could you imagine Jack Lemon and Tom Cruise with Michael Douglas, Terence Stamp, and Hal Holbrook. Daryl Hannahs performance was not well received, but its not like she was reading shakespear. The director saw Wall Street as a battle zone and said he "filmed it as such" including shooting conversations like physical confrontations and in ensemble shots had the camera circle the actors "in a way that makes you feel you're in a pool with sharks". Battlezone? Sharks? Sometimes it felt like scenes from Young and the Restless.I think the movie felt dated and unpolished, like many of the movies of Oliver Stone. I wanted to experience WallStreet and the life of a young stockbroker desperate to succeed. I wanted to learn how to be a player. I wanted to drive around New york in my fancy new convertible with fists full of money and view all it's grit and grime. Oliver, show me New York City,show me the greed," Show Me the Money". I wanted to see Bud Fox go from rag to riches(on a scareface scale) and then to lose it all for the greater good. Make me feel guilty from inside trading. Wall Street does a lot of talking and not enough $PENDING. SPOILER ALERT.....I would love to visit Gecko in prison and ask him what he thinks of the current housing crisis, Automobile industry and global recession. I just may get that opprtunity because in April 2009, 20th Century Fox confirmed that the sequel, now tentatively called Wall Street 2, was still in development, and announced that Oliver Stone would direct. In addition, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella, and Michael Douglas are reportedly in negotiations to join the cast. The film has come to be seen as the archetypal portrayal of 1980s excess, and for that I say see it and remember," Money Never Sleeps"...... Bud... Bud I like you. Just remember something. Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss. -HAL Holbrook
    .
  • cosmo313
    August 9, 2009
    cosmo313
    A pretty solid and entertaining film. It's really just a simple ages old morality play, but it is slick, relevant (still), and a very good portrait of the corporate world of the 1980's. Douglas is great in his Oscar winning iconic role of Gordon Gekko, Sheen (Charlie) is decent a...( read more)s the ambitious young Bud Fox who gets taken under Gekko's wing, Sheen (Martin) is reliable as always as the only truly honest and honorable character and father to Bud. Hannah is decent too, and didn't deserve the Razzie she won. Stamp, Spader, Holbrook, and McGinley all turn in good supporting roles as well. The film looks good, entertains and simultaneously challenges, and is well made. It's very solid, but not quite a masterpiece. The gripe that prevents this is the pacing. Even then though, I still liked this film a good deal.
  • kingflash
    July 29, 2009
    kingflash
    It had it's moments but few and far between.
  • mrpopcorn
    July 29, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good."

    A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider whom takes the youth under his wing.

    ...( read more)er>REVIEW
    A darn good yarn, from the time before Oliver Stone decided he had to be more relevant than entertaining. Certainly there is social commentary in Wall Street, but at least it's not the only thing. The story arc on Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen, is a 1980's version of the Icarus tale. So, too, in a way is the arc on Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, although it is less explicit and less complete. Douglas, who won an Oscar for the role, never looked so much like his father than in this one. Wonderful cinematography, and Stone's ego never came through, so the direction was unobtrusive. Excellent supporting cast, including James Spader, John C. McGinley, Terence Stamp, Sean Young, and Hal Holbrook. If you haven't seen it, do.
  • giovannythegodfather
    July 28, 2009
    giovannythegodfather
    How much is enough? The kid keeps asking the millionaire raider and trader. How much money do you want? How much would you be satisfied with? The trader seems to be thinking hard, but the answer is, he just doesn't know. He's not even sure how to think about the question. He spen...( read more)ds all day trying to make as much money as he possibly can, and he cheerfully bends and breaks the law to make even more millions, but somehow the concept of "enough" eludes him. Like all gamblers, he is perhaps not even really interested in money, but in the action. Money is just the way to keep score.

    The millionaire is a predator, a corporate raider, a Wall Street shark. His name is Gordon Gekko, the name no doubt inspired by the lizard that feeds on insects and sheds its tail when trapped. Played by Michael Douglas in Oliver Stone's "Wall Street," he paces relentlessly behind the desk in his skyscraper office, lighting cigarettes, stabbing them out, checking stock prices on a bank of computers, barking buy and sell orders into a speaker phone. In his personal life he has everything he could possibly want - wife, family, estate, pool, limousine, priceless art objects - and they are all just additional entries on the scoreboard. He likes to win.

    The kid is a broker for a second-tier Wall Street firm. He works the phones, soliciting new clients, offering second-hand advice, buying and selling and dreaming. "Just once I'd like to be on that side," he says, fiercely looking at the telephone a client has just used to stick him with a $7,000 loss. Gekko is his hero. He wants to sell him stock, get into his circle, be like he is. Every day for 39 days, he calls Gekko's office for an appointment. On the 40th day, Gekko's birthday, he appears with a box of Havana cigars from Davidoff's in London, and Gekko grants him an audience.

    Maybe Gekko sees something he recognizes. The kid, named Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), comes from a working-class family. His father (Martin Sheen) is an aircraft mechanic and union leader. Gekko went to a cheap university himself. Desperate to impress Gekko, young Fox passes along some inside information he got from his father. Gekko makes some money on the deal and opens an account with Fox. He also asks him to obtain more insider information, and to spy on a competitor. Fox protests that he is being asked to do something illegal. Perhaps "protests" is too strong a word; he "observes."

    Gekko knows his man. Fox is so hungry to make a killing, he will do anything. Gekko promises him perks - big perks - and they arrive on schedule. One of them is a tall, blond interior designer (Daryl Hannah), who decorates Fox's expensive new high-rise apartment. The movie's stylistic approach is rigorous: We are never allowed to luxuriate in the splendor of these new surroundings. The apartment is never quite seen, never relaxed in. When the girl comes to share Fox's bed, they are seen momentarily, in silhouette. Sex and possessions are secondary to trading, to the action. Ask any gambler.

    Stone's "Wall Street" is a radical critique of the capitalist trading mentality, and it obviously comes at a time when the financial community is especially vulnerable. The movie argues that most small investors are dupes, and that the big market killings are made by men such as Gekko, who swoop in and snap whole companies out from under the noses of their stockholders. What the Gekkos do is immoral and illegal, but they use a little litany to excuse themselves: "Nobody gets hurt." "Everybody's doing it." "There's something in this deal for everybody." "Who knows except us?"

    The movie has a traditional plot structure: The hungry kid is impressed by the successful older man, seduced by him, betrayed by him, and then tries to turn the tables. The actual details of the plot are not so important as the changes we see in the characters. Few men in recent movies have been colder and more ruthless than Gekko, or more convincing. Fox is, by comparison, a babe in the woods. I would have preferred a young actor who seemed more rapacious, such as James Spader, who has a supporting role in the movie. If the film has a flaw, it is that Sheen never seems quite relentless enough to move in Gekko's circle.

    Stone's most impressive achievement in this film is to allow all the financial wheeling and dealing to seem complicated and convincing, and yet always have it make sense. The movie can be followed by anybody, because the details of stock manipulation are all filtered through transparent layers of greed. Most of the time we know what's going on. All of the time, we know why.

    Although Gekko's law-breaking would of course be opposed by most people on Wall Street, his larger value system would be applauded. The trick is to make his kind of money without breaking the law. Financiers who can do that, such as Donald Trump, are mentioned as possible presidential candidates, and in his autobiography Trump states, quite simply, that money no longer interests him very much. He is more motivated by the challenge of a deal and by the desire to win. His frankness is refreshing, but the key to reading that statement is to see that it considers only money, on the one hand, and winning, on the other. No mention is made about creating goods and services, to manufacturing things, to investing in a physical plant, to contributing to the infrastructure.

    What's intriguing about "Wall Street" - what may cause the most discussion in the weeks to come - is that the movie's real target isn't Wall Street criminals who break the law. Stone's target is the value system that places profits and wealth and the Deal above any other consideration. His film is an attack on an atmosphere of financial competitiveness so ferocious that ethics are simply irrelevant, and the laws are sort of like the referee in pro wrestling - part of the show.
  • kunam88
    July 16, 2009
    kunam88
    two words:Gordon Gekko
  • kvaughtster
    July 12, 2009
    kvaughtster
    I found it to be pretty boring.
  • steven544
    July 11, 2009
    steven544
    Wall Street could have fit in very nicely in the theatres today. The bull market of the late 80's can be compared to the insane dot.com market of the late 90's, the same mistakes made on Wall Street repeated themselves again. Hal Holbrook's character is the voice of reason in Wal...( read more)l Street, telling Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) to stick to the basics, and not get carried away with going for the easy buck. Fox is entranced by dynamo Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), whose specialty is taking over and "wrecking" companies, "because they're wreckable". Gekko takes Fox in as his protege, teaching him the ropes and showing him the realities of greed. Fox becomes corrupted, and despite the sobering influence of his union man dad (Martin Sheen) gets ensnared in Gekko's web. Great performances all around, Douglas was deserving of the Oscar, Charlie Sheen was very good in his role as well. There are terrific supporting roles in this movie; Martin Sheen, Holbrook, Terence Stamp and Oliver Stone's favourite character actor, John C. McGinley. For all of Stone's later failed movies, Wall Street hits the nail on the head, and above all entertains the audience. It's hard to see how the same man directed trash like Natural Born Killers afterwards.
  • dayoung1
    July 7, 2009
    dayoung1
    Once you get past all of the insane stock jargon, it's actually an extremely simple story: it's Faust, and Gordon Gekko is The Devil. But, as usual, the Devil's not solely responsible. Bud idolizes him more than his own father, and it's only when he sees how empty and ruthless ...( read more)that pursuit is that he can see his true inheritance. But, sadly prescient when viewed in the context of '08's economic meltdown.
  • SirGenius
    July 6, 2009
    SirGenius
    The Spell of money, not many can break it.
  • PabloMF4
    July 4, 2009
    PabloMF4
    Simple put a classic, Oliver Stone delivers in a great way whit his outstanding drama, The film revolves around young Bud Fox, a low level stock broker who not only dreams of being rich he's obsessed by it. He is able to worm his way into the inner circle of legendary tycoon Gord...( read more)on Gekko (Michael Douglas) and ends up working on deals that will bring them millions, only in illegal ways (insider trading). Michael Douglas won a well deserved Oscar for his portrayal of Gekko, the arch stereotype of money grubbing in $2000 suits and offices with glass walls. Gekko is our Mr. Potter and Douglas plays him in a way that you like him and hate him all at the same time. Charlie Sheen is also good as Fox, the naive as hell boy who ends up way over his head and is able to somewhat dig his way out, i personally think Sheen is an amazing actor, beacuse you might be watching him right now on CBS in doing a great comedy role or on a good drama role like this. Besides then, the rest of the cast is just as exciting, except for Daryl Hannah who dont give the best performance in this picture. But she was hot at the moment, and that might be the reason why she got this role...
    The story is a sound, almost Biblical fall from grace and redemption tale that focuses on taking the wrong path. Bud sells his soul to the devil and has to give something up to make things right. That's the basic tale. The only real complaint is based on my own ignorance of stocks and moving money. I don't understand much of the jargon that the film throws out there so some parts are difficult to follow, but when you get to the real humanity (or lack thereof) it's a splendid film that comes from the golden age of Oliver Stone. it's not his best work, but it is a very good film.
  • fernandorafael
    June 13, 2009
    fernandorafael
    My total lack of understanding of the stock market may have affected my overall enjoyment of WALL STREET, but the movie is interesting enough to keep us brokerage ignorants watching.

    Oliver Stone's camera work and use of light is certainly impressive, and Michael Douglas's per...( read more)formance as greedy Gordon Gekko is nothing short of perfect.
  • Germantangos
    May 14, 2009
    Germantangos
    In Michael Douglas' monologue about corporate ethics, we learn that greed is good.
  • RThornhill
    April 21, 2009
    RThornhill
    Good drama from Oliver Stone. Michael Douglas steals this one.
  • cjcristian2004
    April 12, 2009
    cjcristian2004
    It made a man out of me :D
  • vince95
    March 14, 2009
    vince95
    michael douglas was brilliant. martin sheen was great too. if it wasn't for them, it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. the film does a good job of giving you that sickening feeling about wall street and its money games, especially in the midst of this horrible recession/d...( read more)epression. i like how they reinforced that the stock exchange creates nothing.
  • mariaduda789
    March 1, 2009
    mariaduda789
    Michael Douglas is such a good actor and the movie is great.
  • Citius
    February 20, 2009
    Citius
    great movie!!!
    Charlie Sheen n Michel Douglous were great in it
  • jonconley1
    February 17, 2009
    jonconley1
    This is THE cutthroat business film the rest wanted to be.
  • malacaynomuerto
    January 26, 2009
    malacaynomuerto
    hasta donde llega tu ambición?
  • glomer4
    January 19, 2009
    glomer4
    Douglas gets all the stars, the role is sarcastic and cold
  • HaggusLividus
    January 14, 2009
    HaggusLividus
    A classic flick with a great 80s cast. Where is Gordon Gekko today? We need you!!!
  • JoeSanz
    January 9, 2009
    JoeSanz
    A bussines classic, great performance by Michael Douglas...
  • wvillasoto
    January 8, 2009
    wvillasoto
    For young professionals, this movie is a must see. You will learn that there is no short cut for success. Play the game right and live by the rules.
  • JATbobDYLAN93
    December 26, 2008
    JATbobDYLAN93
    Micheal Douglas doing very great here! a vel earned oscar!
  • bradwest
    December 19, 2008
    bradwest
    Would've been better without the preachy-ness. Needed to be told from Gecko's POV.
  • gertrudetan
    December 12, 2008
    gertrudetan
    Michael Douglas as Gordon 'Greed is good' Gekko fits into his characterization so well.
  • Philosophical2012
    October 29, 2008
    Philosophical2012
    Great movie about corporate America/wall street. Some parts of the movie seemed boring, but Michael Douglas' role as Gordon Gekko is priceless.
  • yffjbbjeda
    October 25, 2008
    yffjbbjeda
    I have seen this before but in these troubled financial times I thought this was worth a revisit. It was. This film is 21 years old and on watching it you really have to wonder how governments can act shocked at the menatality surrounding the money markets. It has always been ...( read more)there and probably always will be. The character Gordon Gekko is probably working as a hedge fund manager somewhere now! Gordon Gekko really is an iconic film character, who symbolises all that is bad about the free market
  • dreamfaeries
    October 23, 2008
    dreamfaeries
    Not a topic that interets me much, but it was an alright film.
  • ShockSystem
    October 16, 2008
    ShockSystem
    Greed, Power, Money and assholes in suits - Just like now! A must see if you haven't or want a flashback to the 80's
  • malefius
    October 8, 2008
    malefius
    Like many of Stone's films, you have a lot of information and a lot of dialogue, but he mixes this with a great production and direction. A very good door to the world of the money empire of the 80's. Although I don't have the slightlest about brokers and money market, the story ...( read more)was quite entertaining, the characters are one-sided but vert well written. There are many good speeches and dialogues.
    Que divertido ver sus teléfonos celulares gigantescos y su sorpresa ante pantallas en blanco y negro de dos pulgadas. Sin embargo, la ambición y la locura que rodean Wall Street siguen siendo tan vigentes como las noticias del diario de hoy. Martin Sheen se me hacìa un actor de pacotilla hasta antes de verlo aquí, el resto del elenco está justo donde debe de estar, la ambientación de la época me hipnotiza pero lo mejor de todo son los diálogos, en especial los del protagonista y su padre.
  • plinto
    September 17, 2008
    plinto
    "I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it is ever fought."
  • scotttakenaka
    September 15, 2008
    scotttakenaka
    Remarkable drama that has the feeling of a crime movie.
  • logangowdy
    September 5, 2008
    logangowdy
    An outstanding, Oscar winning performance from Douglas makes this a must see. Sheen's not half bad either, which has got to be a first...and last. Enjoyable every time you see it.

Summary

Wall Street Summary