Grade: B+
It has been said
that Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby
is a case of style over substance. If this is true it is either by deliberate
design or is completely appropriate nonetheless. The film, like the title
character, is flashy, mysterious, magnificent, and grand. Like Gatsby himself
the film shows off to conceal what is in reality much simpler than what meets
the eye. There may be a case of style over substance, a sort of magnificent
hollowness, but intentioned or not it feels like the perfect fit for
Fitzgerald’s work and confirms that Baz Luhrmann was meant for the material.
From the outset
Gatsby seems fit for Luhrmann. Having made his name on pageantry and pomp with
films like Moulin Rouge and Rome + Juliet, the glitzy, fabulous
world of Gatsby is as fantastic, extravagant, and explosive as the director’s
reputation would suggest. From the stunning, other worldly portrayal of New
York City to Gatsby’s wild and unbelievable parties, the film’s visuals are
coursing with an unrestrained glamour and animation which borders on
surrealism. This in part serves to present the roaring twenties in all their
hyperbole. The visuals in Gatsby, as equally striking as even the best science
fiction or fantasy, seem to ask if this time was really as we remember it and
if this world of indulgence ever even really existed. The Great Gatsby moves like a dream across the screen, never
feeling fully grounded or surefooted but always with the hint of a greater
depth.
Much has been
made of the soundtrack, which was produced by rap/hip-hop mogul superstar Sean
“Jay-Z” Carter. Popular contemporary music has been a signature of Luhrmann’s
movies and Gatsby is undoubtedly the most dramatic example of this staple.
Visuals of twenties era America, in both its splendidness and horror, are
accompanied by the distinctly twenty-first century sounds of Jay-Z himself as
well as other modern artists such as Beyonce and Jack White. The effect can be
overstated and is sure to be controversial but ultimately succeeds in shaping an
identity for the film.
All of this
overblown artistry may have fallen flat if it wasn’t supported by some truly
amazing performances from an all star cast composed of Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, and Lenoardo Dicaprio.
Dicaprio and Maguire are both in full stride and it can be argued that the film
represents a new peak for both of the decorated actors. There is a sincere and
palatable chemistry between the two and every scene featuring them both is a
high mark of the movie. Dicaprio is every bit the charismatic enigma that
Gatsby is imagined to be while Maguire’s trademark softness and sensitivity is
perfectly suited to the real lead character of the story Nick Carraway.
Posted by Terry Pierson, Library Clerk/Page






