People that know me are probably not surprised that my first movie review is The Great Gatsby. It's based on one of my all-time favorite books of the same name and it features one of my all-time favorite actors - Leonardo DiCaprio. In this 2013 film adaption of the novella, director Baz Luhrmann takes us back to one of the most tragic love stories ever told. I went into this movie with very high expectations, and they were fulfilled... for the most part.
Set during the height of the "Roaring 1920's" in New York City, The Great Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) - a Yale graduate and a writer-turned-bonds salesman who moved from the Midwest to West Egg, an area on Long Island. Nick reunites with his second cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), who is married to the unlikable Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). Nick's neighbor on West Egg is a man known only as "Mr. Gatsby," a multimillionaire that apparently no one has ever seen, and yet he throws the most extravagant parties that almost all of New York attend. As the story unfolds, Nick meets Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and is drawn into his world of mystery and romance - a world where anything and everything can happen.
This is not the first time The Great Gatsby has hit the big screen. It has been adapted into a movie four other times prior to this, once in 1926, again in 1949, then again in 1974, and finally in 2000. However, this 2013 film adaption is the most unique and fresh take on the classic 1920's novella. Baz Luhrmann attempts to connect with modern audiences by including a modern soundtrack, produced by Jay-Z. While the soundtrack has caused quite a bit of controversy and I'm sure some people will find it unappealing, I thought the music worked incredibly well. In fact, after 15 minutes into the movie, I completely forgot about the music. It simply complimented Luhrmann's outlandish style.
Visually, the film is a masterpiece. The costumes designed by Catherine Martin, Luhrmann's wife, are impeccable and are, without doubt, Oscar-worthy. The sets are all detailed and make the world feel lush and vibrant. At some points in the film, the backgrounds are obviously CGI animated; however, they never distracted me from the movie and they seemed to add to the superficiality of Nick's world.
As far as the acting in the movie goes, Leonardo DiCaprio and Joel Edgerton steal the show. DiCaprio plays the mysterious Gatsby perfectly, showcasing Gatsby's sinister side as well as his vulnerable, childlike side. Gatsby is one of the most complex characters in American literature, and DiCaprio handles the character extremely well. Edgerton portrays the
The only problem I had with the movie was the pacing in the middle of the film. Luhrmann sticks to the novella almost exactly, and I felt it slightly hurt the movie in the mid-section. Not that I was begging for the movie to speed up, but this portion of the movie could have been trimmed back just a bit. Other than that, this movie is fantastic. If you love Baz Luhrmann and his previous work (Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, Australia, Strictly Ballroom), then you will most likely love this movie. It is currently being shown in both 3-D and 2-D. I have seen the movie in both formats, and it doesn't matter which one you choose. They're both fine, in my opinion.
RATING: 4.5 / 5
This movie is rated PG-13 (violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying, and brief language)
I'm intrigued, but I have to read the book first. I was turned off by the previews because it all seemed so modern, but you've got me interested again. What is CGI animation, by the way?
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely read the book first. The book is AMAZING! And CGI is Computer-Generated Imagery. It's simply something that was inserted into the movie through computer graphics. In Gatsby, they use green screen backgrounds for some of the scenes and add computer effects later. But the graphics do work in the film so it's not a problem. Hope you enjoy the blog! :)
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