‘Wall Street’ sequel bullish at start, then falls apart

  • By Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic
  • Thursday, September 23, 2010 10:32pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

You knew Gordon Gekko hadn’t really gone away. The slimy financial wizard from “Wall Street” must’ve had his paws in the great economic bubble and burst of the last decade.

And sure enough, Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone’s anti-hero from that 1987 film returns in “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” a spirited if messy follow-up that plants us right in the financial disaster of the 21st century.

Gekko, played by Douglas again, is released from prison at the film’s start. It takes the old wheeler-dealer a while to connive his way back to the top.

In the meantime, we watch the hustling efforts of young up-and-comer Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf), who’s trying to make his mark on Wall Street. It’s going to be difficult, because Jake actually has something like a conscience.

He also has a girlfriend (Carey Mulligan, from “An Education”) who just happens to be Gekko’s estranged daughter. She’s some sort of social do-gooder or something, which means the movie is completely bored by her.

The movie’s first hour is its best section, as Stone plots out the collapse of a Lehman Brotherslike institution; there’s lot of juicy backstabbing and government hand-wringing and unregulated behavior, in every sense.

Good actors such as Josh Brolin, Frank Langella and Eli Wallach enliven these scenes, which take place in money-dripping offices with large dark tables. Stone clearly has some issues he wants to dig into about the irresponsibility of the system.

It’s something of a let-down when the personal story between father and daughter begins to assert itself, if only because this seems so much more conventional than the high-level business machinations.

Overall the movie gets more scattered as it goes along — it’s a little like listening to a slightly crazy person try to tell you about five different subjects he really, really wants you to know about. But that could describe a half-dozen Oliver Stone pictures, including some I quite like.

Michael Douglas has a few good, wild-man moments, especially when Gekko is still struggling to come back and trying to seduce Jake into his web. Shia LaBeouf doesn’t have much of a character to play, which means the actor’s usual intensity comes across as hollow.

There’s a cameo from an important “Wall Street” cast member, plus little more than a cameo from Susan Sarandon, playing Jake’s mother. It all folds into an increasingly sloppy stew.

Plus, it’s belated. Stone and Douglas should’ve been making this movie five years ago, when the insane financial bubble was inflating itself but nobody wanted to point out the obvious, because lots of people were getting richer. It’s a little late now.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, 2 1/2 stars

A spirited but messy follow-up for director Oliver Stone and actor Michael Douglas, who bring back that slimiest of Wall Street wizards, Gordon Gekko. Some of the early business machinations are fun to witness, but the movie gets more distracted as it goes along, and leads Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan don’t really have characters to play.

Rated: PG-13 for language, subject matter

Showing: Alderwood, Cinebarre Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Everett, Galaxy Monroe, Marysville, Stanwood, Metro, Pacific Place, Thornton Place, Uptown, Woodinville, Blue Fox, Cascade Mall

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.