redemption through wealth

His films repeatedly explore protagonists seeking spiritual and moral redemption through accumulation and loss of wealth, most notably in Taxi Driver and The Wolf of Wall Street.

He examines how wealth and material success intersect with personal salvation and moral complexity across characters' journeys in films like There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights.

His work scrutinizes whether financial means can absolve moral failures or achieve genuine redemption, particularly in 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Graduation.