Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

In 1987, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) uttered the immortal line “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” Fast forward 23 years to the release of Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. This time around, greed is not so good, and this average-at-best sequel from director Oliver Stone never misses an opportunity to tell us so.

The film begins in 2001 with Gekko’s release from prison. As he and his massive ’80s cell phone exit the facility to face an overcast day, the former Wall Street powerhouse is greeted by…absolutely nobody. Money might be able to buy you happiness, but poverty and a prison record won’t get you a damn thing.

Jumping ahead seven years, we’re introduced to Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), a young investment whiz who happens to be involved with Winnie Gekko (Carey Mulligan), the estranged daughter of Gordon. When Jake’s firm goes under and his boss/father figure (Frank Langella) jumps in front of a subway train, he’s eager to get some payback against the man he holds responsible, investment tycoon Bretton James (Josh Brolin). Enter Gordon Gekko, now an author warning about the potential economic crisis faced by the country.

But Jake’s quest to set things right won’t be an easy one. Winnie holds Gordon responsible for the death of her brother, and Jake’s attempts to reunite them cause plenty of friction. Our hero with the large eyebrows is also being bled dry by his mother (Susan Sarandon), a former nurse whose new profession epitomizes the economical irresponsibility rampant in modern-day American life. And then there’s Gordon Gekko, a seemingly reformed man who may still prove as cold-blooded as the lizard that undoubtedly inspired his name.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is all about priorities, but it takes a rather simplistic view of the theme. Those who choose money over love are punished and left with nothing. Those who walk a higher path are rewarded. If only things were this simple in real life, where unadulterated greed is often “punished” by a government bailout.

Stone, never known for his subtlety as a director (“Back and to the left”), takes it remarkably easy on the American public. Their complicity in the nation’s financial troubles is represented by Sarandon’s money hemorrhaging mom, but I went in expecting an even greater invective from the man who made JFK and Natural Born Killers. Instead, the blame is placed primarily at the feet of the money men, smirking fat cats who smoke overpriced cigars, meet in closed-door sessions with government representatives, and decorate their dens with representations of Greek Titans devouring their young.

But while the overall story may leave something to be desired–especially with the less-than-compelling revenge angle shoehorned in–Stone sure knows how to film New York City. Even longtime residents such as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese should be impressed, as Stone opts to bypass the usual grit of the city in favor of massive towers of glass and steel. The Big Apple is an architectural wonder, and Stone never misses an opportunity to show off the limitless potential of human ingenuity, although he’s also commenting on the unending limits of human greed at the same time. But regardless of the message contained within, the film is a 133-minute postcard for New York City.

The soundtrack, comprised largely of collaborations between Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and musical pioneer Brian Eno, proves a major asset. Byrne’s voice has always been tinged with melancholy, but here it also manages to project a sweeping sense of hope. America may stumble, but it will never fall…at least not while Oliver Stone is at the helm.

Those who cram their money in a mattress or spend it all at Wal-Mart may find themselves confused by the endless array of investment jargon that gets thrown about. Even if you do have a modest portfolio, you may still be left wondering what the hell these well-dressed men are talking about. Before you head to the theater, you might want to cut your teeth on a little Jim Cramer. If you don’t know who Jim Cramer is, you might be better off seeing the latest Zack Snyder film about badass owls who wear armor.

Michael Douglas slides right back into the skin of Gordon Gekko, although it’s considerably more wrinkled than the last time. While it’s a joy to watch the veteran actor at work–especially considering that his career, and life, are in danger thanks to throat cancer–this version of Gekko doesn’t get to do a whole lot. He mostly smiles smugly while dispensing lines that won’t be remembered outside of a month. But when he does get to flex his dramatic muscles, such as a tearful confession to his daughter on the steps of the Met, Douglas shows why he once won an Oscar for playing this character.

The plot is largely driven by Shia LaBeouf, a likable young actor who’s overmatched while sharing the screen with men like Douglas, Brolin, and Langella. Then again, who wouldn’t be? LaBeouf shows promise, and further dramatic roles should do the same thing for him that they did for Tom Cruise. Here’s one tip for director Stone, though: when the lead actress has shoulders as broad as her on-screen love interest, don’t position them side by side.

Carey Mulligan makes her major studio debut, but she’ll need to go back to the indies to find parts that allow for more than crying on cue and hassling the male lead. And then there’s the unsuccessful cameo from Wall Street alumni Charlie Sheen. He’s seems lost outside the confines of Two and a Half Men, which is a shame considering how wonderful he was in Stone’s original.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps should make a decent rental for fans of the 1987 version, although it lacks the same intensity and capitalistic swagger. The film also chokes down the stretch, presenting a lackluster double-cross and out-of-the-blue reconciliation that both fail on any significant emotional level.

Greed may be good, but sequels rarely are.