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The newest in a long line of adaptations of the quintessential American novel by F. Scott
Fitzgerald, this $100-million-dollar Baz Luhrmann's production was released nationwide on May
10, 2013 to incredibly mixed reviews, and a modest opening day. Staying remarkably faithful
to the 88-year-old book, this picture is set in the summer of 1922, exploring themes of
decadence, hope, friendship, and betrayal creating a lush and vibrant representation
of the roaring 20's in the process. Impeccably well-cast, the supremely talented Leonardo
DiCaprio stars in the lead rule, exuding everything from confidence to nervousness in the complicated
role, an enigmatic creature who throws the most insane and lavish parties once a week
at his Long Island mansion. Told through via the narration and
perspective of Toby Maguire's character - a young bondsman / author who finds himself
living next door to Gatsby who warns him, "You can't repeat the past". As the coy, foolish,
and playful love interest, Carey Mulligan is positively stunning in the period-accurate
flapper dresses and gowns: enriching many scenes with only a smile or a glance, particularly
when DiCaprio playfully showers her with clothing, as the two rekindle their lost love. Her chemistry
with Leo is wonderful, even if their actual relationship is unfortunately underdeveloped.
Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jacon Clarke and especially newcomer Elizabeth Debicki are
all great in their supporting roles. Presented with Luhrmann's trademark colorful style;
mixing chroma-key effects, shallow-depth of field, sweeping establishing shots that seamlessly
transition into close-ups, on-screen text, and an unconventional editing style that mesh
into a kind of electric ferocity that is hard to ignore. Filmed and screened in 3D - the
added dimension looks as great as any 3D movie I've watched... but it feels unnecessary,
adding little to the already impressive visuals. The lyrical and inventive delivery is supported
by an overtly anachronistic, but effectively appropriate soundtrack featuring music from
Jay-Z, Florence And The Machine, Andre 3000, and an original score by Craig Armstrong.
At 143-minutes, this picture takes nearly a full hour to truly get interesting, and
even when it does, there's rarely any true suspense or conflict until the final few scenes.
Honestly, this is a tightly crafted and fascinating PG-13 film that stays faithful to the iconic
novel... inherently, the only issues I have are with the story itself, which feels sort
of rushed and unresolved towards the end. If you enjoy Fitzgerald's novel, lavish period
dramas, or any of Lurhmann's other films - you'll likely feel right at home, and enjoy this
picture as I have: even though I probably won't watch it again soon. "The Great Gatsby",
"Intriguing retelling with captivating style". Now lets hear some of your thoughts about
this movie.
The rate-o-matic for "The Great Gatsby"... a SEVEN and an EIGHT. Mixed reactions on this
one, some thought it was beautiful, while others called it distracting, the limited
number of ratings averaged to a COOL. This was a fun, interesting, and entertaining version
of that classic book I was forced to read in high school, and despite some flaws, I
definitely enjoyed it. I thought it was GREAT.