Perhaps in celebration of remaining a 2013 release, a second theatrical trailer for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street was released today. The (in our humble opinion, stellar) first trailer for the film did a lot to establish the general tone and premise of the film, but did little to reveal the trajectory of the plot. Not so with this new one, which outlines how Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) rose to fortune and infamy in the late 1990s by scamming rich clients.
One of the most interesting tidbits of the new trailer is a shot at the 1:40 mark in which DiCaprio appears to break the fourth wall. There was a similar shot in evidence in the first trailer, but it wasn’t so explicitly addressing the audience. It’s a technique that jives with the narration that goes over most of both trailers, but it’s also a very risky one artistically. That said, David Fincher and Kevin Spacey pulled a similar trick off to great effect in the recent series House of Cards, and we won’t doubt Scorsese’s prowess as a filmmaker.
Also intriguing is Jonah Hill in another decidedly dramatic role – dramatic despite some moments of clearly over-the-top excess. The typically comic actor was nominated for an Oscar in Moneyball, his only prior part in a drama, and although he tends to be outlandish in his comedies he so far feels very natural here (as opposed, say, to his brief appearance in Django Unchained).
We’re watching with rapt anticipation as The Wolf of Wall Street approaches its new Christmas Day release, and we’ll keep you up to date on any news surrounding the likely Oscar contender as we draw nearer.
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