Movie Review: The Great Gatsby (2013)
Written by Anthony Sargon
It can't be easy adapting one of the world's most popular literary works to the big screen. If you thought this was the first attempt at bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel to life, think again; Baz Luhrmann is the fourth director to tackle the venerable material, and he actually does a marvelous job. Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" might not fully capture the spirit of Fitzgerald's literary work, but it's a visually dazzling and wonderfully acted adaptation that should entertain fans and non-fans of the source material alike.
The story takes place in 1922; Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) is trying to make it in New York as a bond salesman and moves into a quaint little home in Long Island. Nick's neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), is an extremely mysterious and wealthy man who throws lavish parties every saturday night. When Nick receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's extravagant events, he gets drawn into his world of excess, secrecy, and tragedy.
Luhrmann takes some liberties with the story, but maintains a lot of what made the novel relevant in the first place. Fitzgerald's themes of excess, the death of the American dream, and social inequality are all here for the viewer to see, although they're somewhat overshadowed by Luhrmann's focus on the Gatsby/Daisy love story, as well as the pretty visuals. But Luhrmann, director of "Romeo + Juliette" and "Moulin Rouge!", is playing to his strengths, which helps give the film its own narrative focus and, in a way, its own identity.
The cast does an amazing job at getting the audience invested in the story, with Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio really owning their roles. It's always nice to see Maguire in an interesting role, and Leo gives another powerhouse performance as the title character of Jay Gatsby. You'll be saying "old sport" over and over again after leaving the theatre, guaranteed. Carey Mulligan is great as Daisy Buchanan, but Joel Edgerton struggles yet again with the American accent as her husband, Tom Buchanan.
The film's visuals are a big part of what makes this adaptation great, and the 3D is spectacular. Luhrmann shot the film with 3D cameras, so it's not some cheap ploy to charge people more for tickets; the entire film's aesthetic was conceptualized with 3D in mind, so it's definitely the version you should go for. The soundtrack is produced by Jay-Z, and it actually works. This isn't the first time Lurhmann has used contemporary music in a period piece, but it's never been this bombastic. In a way, the effects and music help emphasize the lavishness and inequality that Fitzgerald described in his novel, although everything is obviously exaggerated given Baz Lurhmann's involvement.
Anthony's Verdict:
Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" may not be the adaptation everyone had hoped for, but it's still an immersive and entertaining experience that respects its source material while being unique in its own way.
Numerical Score: 8/10
Read the Original post on A Geek's Blog
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