I've now seen the film twice. I give it a B-
Positives:
Scorsese's film is an epic, three hours of every kind of cardinal sin short of murder, with characters both repulsive and entrancing, in a hysterically funny and painfully horrific saga of depravity as only Scorsese can bring. Hill transforms himself in this film and DiCaprio gives the best performance of his career. He jumped head first into the role and there isn't one moment that you are watching this where you feel like you are watching Leonardo DiCaprio. What you are seeing on screen is Jordan Belfort. He is brave, brilliant and fearless. Back to Jonah Hill. I have come to the conclusion that Jonah Hill's forte is bringing chemistry to a scene. He exudes chemistry and is one of the best supporting actors in film today and I mean that in the literal sense. Oftentimes the supporting actors are just actors who got second billing. They're not central to the story. Jonah Hill supports the main lead and makes the overall film better. Who would have thunk it several years ago? The film is attempting to convey in the first place- these lavish lifestyles are intemperate beyond remorse and the decadence seen means exactly that never is it all apparently enough in our culture - the copious money, the gorgeous women, the sensation of drugs, and whatnot and Scorcese excels.
Negatives:
Lack of moral compass. The parties and intoxication are normally something I love, its fun to watch people party and do drugs (at least for me). Here, the excess becomes tiresome, and that would be fine, if the film was intended to show the perils of excess. But that's not the intent. The scenes of excess go on way too long. We get it and we got it very early on. I kept waiting for a reason to care what happened to these characters and it never happens. Also, this is one of the rare occasions when a potentially great film suffers because of its running time. I have truly never experienced so much fluff in a movie before. And what's worse it was totally unnecessary because the material was there and it was more than enough. I can't even begin to praise the merits of The Wolf of Wall Street (it did have a few) because the redundant scenes and dialogue are too much to get over. It's sort of like trying to enjoy a fine steak while tofu is being forcibly stuffed down your throat. It's all ruined. All and all what a pity. It could have been the best movie of the year if only.....