Originally written May 19, 2013
The Great Gatsby was a 1925 novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It perfectly encapsulated the time period of the Roaring 20s that it was written in, and is one of the most notorious books in classic literature. Therefore, most people at least know what this movie is. Even though it was a book I was forced to read in English class during high school like most other people, I actually liked it. And after seeing this modern movie attempt on a classic story, I have to say it’s done pretty well, and I liked it about as much as I did the book.
For those unfamiliar, the story of Gatsby is told by narrator Nick Carraway. Nick is essentially the guy here experiencing the real story as its middle man. See, Nick has this cousin Daisy who is married to this real macho jerk Tom. Nick’s neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, throws lavish parties at his mansion, but is hardly ever seen by guests. One night Nick is sent an invitation to one of the parties, and Gatsby reveals to him that he needs his help in being reunited with a long lost love of his, Daisy.
While I feel we’re kind of past the point of “spoiling” a 90 year old story, to say anymore would be giving things away. How does the familiar story translate to film? Well, this is a movie made by Baz Luhrmann, who did the modern takes on Romeo and Juliet, and also Moulin Rouge, so if you’re not a fan of “modernizing” movies, this might be a little hard. To be fair though, in Gatsby it really only felt like music was out of place for the time period, as we’re given a soundtrack from modern artists Jay-Z and Beyonce. While it’s obviously not a match for the time period, it actually doesn’t feel too out of place.
Aside from that, I think the costumes and scenery and all of that are beautiful. The movie is certainly vibrant and stylish, so those looking for a nice visual experience will get it. I actually felt a bit disoriented while watching it though (I didn’t see it in 3D either), as it feels like the movie is shot very fast and sometimes even feels blurry. I really liked all of the performances from this movie as well, with the clear standout being Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby. In the end, this is a pretty faithful adaptation, with nothing being left out that I can remember. For those looking for a modern movie take on the famous novel instead of the 1974 version, this works pretty well.
3.5/5
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