After a five-year silence, director Baz Luhrmann has finally released his new visually and emotionally astonishing masterpiece with his adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.”
Taken word-for-word from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed 1925 novel, the movie tells the story about a mysterious and rich man known as Jay Gatsby, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Gatsby throws mesmerizing parties in to grab the attention of the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, played by Carey Mulligan.
Gatsby befriends Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and finds out that he is Buchanan’s cousin. This begins a story filled with love and tragedy that turn Gatsby’s world upside down, along with everyone else.
The director’s desire to capture an elegant Fitzgerald narration comes as no surprise to audiences familiar to his previous films, such as 2001’s “Moulin Rouge!” Maguire’s narration of the film was done beautifully.
With light humor, elements of the the 20th century, and costumes, Luhrmann has made a brilliant movie in his distinct style.
The Gatsby cast gives an undoubtedly excellent performance. Newcomer Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Buchanan’s friend, Jordan Baker, and Joel Edgerton who plays as Buchanan’s husband Tom deliver memorable performances.
Less than a year after the release of “Django Unchained,” DiCaprio plays another man in a white suit and delivers a performance for a role he was meant to play.
Luhrmann often stages his movies as plays, and “The Great Gatsby” is no exception. The synthetic backgrounds, polished scenes and flawless actors’ make-up don’t distract from the story.
Similar to the “Moulin Rouge!” soundtrack, Luhrmann spiced up this classic story with modern tunes. Although Gatsby’s soundtrack won’t be as famous as Luhrmann’s older films, but it can easily become a hit during the summer.
Despite the strong combination of visuals and sound, Gatsby’s story is still strong enough to please those looking for films that are more than a sensory experience.
Audiences looking for a breathtaking love story filled with memorable acting should see “The Great Gatsby.”
PG-13, 2D/3D,143 min
