Film Review : The Great Gatsby

THE GREAT GATSBY

-Beau Behan (BeauBehan.com)

 Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey McGuire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Elizabeth Debicki

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

PG-13, 143 min, Drama, Romance

Like the quintessential display of old money, symbolism, American dream, and narcissism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann’s film, The Great Gatsby, has that same fervor of grandiosity. With the Roaring 1920s in the backdrop and  its toxicity within the confinements of excess, grandeur, power and greed, Luhrmann’s attempt to demystify an American parable is well syncopated with ‘greatness’ that a young bond broker, Nick Carraway (Toby McGuire) succinctly relates while recovering from a trauma.

His story begins with a mysterious gentleman who happens to be his neighbor living in a well-manicured mansion. His amassed millions appear to be even more than God’s, and throwing lavish parties is his pride and joy. His name is none other than, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). No sooner than later that Nick meets Gatsby, and the enigma becomes unraveled. Gatsby’s old flame is Nick’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). The two love birds got separated five years prior because of war. In Gatsby’s long absence, Daisy was swept off of her feet by another wealthy millionaire (Joel Edgerton), and they got married. Now, Gatsby tries to win her back by enlisting the help of Daisy’s best friend, Jordan (Elizabeth Debicki) and of Nick.

This is now the fifth time that novel, The Great Gatsby, has been adapted to a screenplay, and Luhrmann may well be the most suitable filmmaker to direct this latest cinematic version. He has that avant-garde technique of translating well-loved classic novels to a tapestry of popular culture like his other most recent films, Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. That modern vogue is highly visible in the entire movie.

The can-can dance resurfaces in The Great Gatsby but without the long skirts that dancers would use in the old days during performances. Rather, it is characterized by the accoutrement of a pair of short shorts to project that bold seductiveness yet revamped for the 21st century. The movie’s musical composition by Jay-Z is full of hip-hop and rap. It definitely has the hallmarks of playfulness and inventiveness. Despite of it all, the question of their necessity just looms and begs.

There were times that I found myself drifting along in the rhythm of the music. It is as if the film’s genre had suddenly become a musical extravaganza. This is Luhrmann’s typical style that could be distracting. Some segments were shot with abrupt camera shifts that could even affect our brains to suffer from dyslexia. In the end, however, I find these disruptive elements to be rather essential subtleties in order for Luhrmann to capture the essence of the flamboyant and bombastic era of 1920s.

In terms of acting, the actors portrayed their roles very well, but there is one actress that really caught my attention. It is Elizabeth Debicki who plays Jordan. She definitely radiates that exuberance and flare!

The Great Gatsby may not be Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. However, it still roars, and enacts the vibrancy of unparalleled sumptuousness– delightful and venerably captivating!